Tracee Ellis Ross encourages Black women to 'make space for yourself' while receiving honorary doctorate from Spelman College
Tracee Ellis Ross is officially a member of the Spelman College family.
Ross received an honorary degree, a doctorate of fine arts, from the historically black women's liberal arts college on Sunday.
Students at the school nominated the "Black-ish" actress and the Spelman Board of Trustees voted to give her the honor.
"Congratulations, Tracee, welcome to the Spelman family," Spelman College President Dr. Helene Gayle, said Sunday.
After she was honored, Ross, who is also the founder and CEO of PATTERN Beauty, spoke to the graduating class about finding sisterhood.
"When I get to swim in the particularly special current of Black sisterhood, my heart rate settles, my shoulders drop and I am reminded of my worthiness, because I see yours," she told the audience.
"The world view of Black women is not elastic in its ability to see our worthiness and our wholeness," she continued, "even as we continue to exceed, excel and shine."
Ross also offered powerful words of advice to the students and their families.
"Make space for yourself, for your whole self," she said. "Your joy, your power, your fear, your loneliness, your insecurities, your pleasure, your passion, your dreams. Let there be space for all of it. In the private moments when you meet yourself, allow all of you to be present without judgement."
She encouraged the graduates not to "be afraid to be bad at something."
"Let yourself feel all the feels," she said.
She concluded her speech with a simple "Go Spelman!"
"May the safety and belonging of these walls send you forward in your choice to change the world with the protection of your sisters and your ancestors -- and with me, your best friend in your head," she said.
This story has been updated to reflect that Dr. Helene Gayle is the president of Spelman College.
