During such a tense climate where systemic racism is being brought to the surface, actress Tika Sumpter has some poignant advice based on her experience as a Black woman in a relationship with a White partner.
The Mixed-ish actress tweeted that the topics of race should never be off-limits between interracial couples. “Dear Black interracial couples with a significant other who is White (raises hand),” she said. “We DO NOT need to protect them. I promise, they will be A. OK. They need to continue to fight for us. If they get offended when you talk about racists. You have a bigger problem on your hands.”
Sumpter herself is in a relationship with fellow actor Nicholas James, whom she met on the set of Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots in 2016. They’re currently engaged and share a 4-year-old daughter named Ella. The pair’s relationship initially started out very private, but they’ve gradually opened up about their life together over the years.
Sumpter has also never shied away from sharing what it’s like being in an interracial relationship as a Black woman. During a recent appearance on The Real, she said, “I think people have a problem when it comes to [Black] women having interracial relationships,” she told the show’s hosts. “A lot of other people step outside of their race and date and it’s fine.”
Not only has Sumpter been using her platform to have candid conversations about race, but she’s also bringing transparency to the world of parenting with her new motherhood platform, Sugaberry, cofounded with her friend Thai Randolph, who is a media executive.
Kudos to this queen for keeping it real!