Today is my friend Marisha’s birthday. I want to tell a story about who she is as a person. When we filmed Honey Heist we all chose characters. I chose Bearah Pawcett and was so excited when we got the character art... until I saw that my bear was blonde....

It may not seem like a big deal but it just wasn’t what I wanted to project as the lone black Woman at that gaming table. I sat on it and it ate me up and made me cry. I finally called Marisha. Terrified that I would ruin our relationship to say this isn’t right to me.

She answered the phone and I let it all spill out. That I had to let this be known because it mattered. She didn’t resist. She didn’t become defensive. She said what do I need to do to fix this for you. She offered to delay the airing to be sure we could get the art in time

She apologized and immediately went in to problem solve mode and did what she had to to make me feel comfortable. She told me that she was sorry I even had to hesitate about the thought of coming to her. That the world should never be a place I couldn’t feel heard

That’s who @Marisha_Ray is. A friend. An ally in actions and not just words. She is kind and compassionate and even as the head of a giant company she is concerned about every single person and their feelings. It is my honor to call her friend.

Happy birthday @Marisha_Ray You mean the world to me and I hope this day is as good to you as you are to the world. I love you