theroot--2020-10-30--The 'Costumes' We Wear

The 'Costumes' We Wear

It ’ s the time of year where I try to decipher whether I ’ d prefer to channel my inner pumpkin or Catwoman .
It ’ s always one of the two .
I ’ ve never tried to dress up as anything else for Halloween .
Though I ’ m in complete awe of people who get really creative and can make costumes , I ’ ve never been that crafty .
And I ’ m way too cheap to buy a fancy one .
But this year , as Halloween approaches on the cusp of my debut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been sitting with the idea of costumes and the layered complexities of the figurative “ costumes ” we often wear .
I find the latter isn ’ t nearly as celebratory and festive as the former .
But for many , myself included , and for one of the characters in my novel , costumes can be a means of self-preservation .
And it begs examination of where those pressures originate .
I ’ ve never won Best Costume at a Halloween party .
( Big surprise , right ? )
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are wildly impressive .
And I think about the time and energy that went into crafting each little detail to make the veneer believable .
It ’ s always in the details , isn ’ t it ?
The blending of the makeup contour , the veil , fake engagement ring , and bouquet the “ dead ” bride carries , the way the 3D makeup makes it look like the knife is really coming out of someone ’ s back .
Hours of forethought poured into selecting a costume .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you imagine how exhausting ?
How expensive ?
Red lipstick over a tired smile , a hat over hair deemed unruly ... For many of us , it often feels like it is .
The character I ’ ve written is engaged in a rescue mission of sorts .
( Ahem , let ’ s try to do this without spoilers . )
Because of what he looks like , he isn ’ t free to simply walk around and accomplish the task he ’ s after .
He isn ’ t free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without concealing the truth of who he is , so he dons a costume .
And that ’ s a poignant reality for many of us who ’ ve had to minimize ourselves to move freely in a space .
The figurative costumes we wear are woven—often subconsciously .
Code-switching is a big one for me .
When I speak to someone who I consider a part of my community or inner circle , I speak in a tone that ’ s relaxed , with a vernacular that ’ s authentic to me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
I am understood .
Communication occurs .
But , when I ’ m in a setting where I feel the need to sit up a little straighter , my dialect often changes .
And why is that ?
Could it be that the expectation is so deeply ingrained , we ’ ve internalized “ sounding Black ” as a bad thing ?
Or is it a fear of being judged as uneducated , unintelligent… fear of losing our chance to be heard or taken seriously ?
Hair is another way I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , often finding ourselves conforming from a place of just being tired .
Tired of conflict , stares , uncomfortable conversations .
Several years ago , in a workshop ( where there were students from all walks of life , races , genders , ethnicities ) I was told my hair was “ too large ” and could I consider “ taming it ” to not be a “ distraction ” in future .
I was mortified , and what did I do ?
Conformed .
I flat ironed it before the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type this , but I ’ m trying to peel back the veil on what it ’ s like to be mercilessly reminded that your natural state of being is constantly othered .
To be consumed with how you ’ ll assimilate—because of course , that ’ s the expectation , isn ’ t it ?
Make no mistake , they approached me with warm smiles and lots of “ you understands.
” The delivery wasn ’ t abrasive in tone or angry—it wasn ’ t a shotgun—it was a handgun with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t the same thing .
Back then , before I ’ d faced the muck of racist oppression I ’ d unknowingly internalized for years , I chose the path of least resistance and tried to just be small ; get through it .
Put it behind me .
Sit in the humiliation hoping my Blackness didn ’ t offend anyone else .
Would I do that today ?
Hell , no .
Now , if you can ’ t see—move seats !
It ’ s what I ’ d be expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
I ’ m making a concerted effort to take off these “ costumes.
” That doesn ’ t mean I ’ m only going to speak in AAVE or use slang consistently .
It means when I switch up how I speak it will be because I choose to .
Because I possess a diversity of language that I will use as I see fit , instead of allowing societal expectations to dictate my speech .
My heart soars seeing my people embracing their natural hair , speaking how they choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us have made a part of our costumes .
But , we are not a monolith .
Every person who straightens their hair isn ’ t in denial about internalized oppression .
And the inverse of that is also true .
The difference is in motivation ; shaped by whether or not we anticipate being allowed to engage in a space authentically .
So , don ’ t read into it the next time you flat iron your hair…or do if you think you ’ ve got some stuff to face or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re in control , not them .
Put that iron to your scalp and switch up that tone because you want to ; not because you ’ re expected to .
Wearing figurative costumes goes beyond code-switching and hair , of course .
The list is lengthy and varies from person to person .
But the fact remains—and Halloween is such a good reminder of this—costumes should be a choice , not a requirement .
If you ’ re one of those who feel like you don ’ t have to wear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I also am a bit jealous .
I encourage you to consider others who might still be shielding themselves behind one .
If a person speaks and you understood the meaning of what was said , any judgment of them is your problem , not theirs .
Why is the way you communicate more “ correct ” than the way someone else does ?
Especially if they got their message across .
And if that stung a bit , sit in that discomfort .
Empathize with the person who feels like they must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Go ahead , fill in the blank .
But start your answer with “ I.
” This year , as we dress up by choice for fun , give some thought to people who , for various reasons , might be wearing costumes you can ’ t see .
People who don ’ t have the freedom to don their earnest capes and show the S ’ s on their chests .
Consider being intentional to not “ host ” accidental “ costume contests ” in the spaces you navigate daily .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be yourself in ways others aren ’ t .
J.Elle is a prolific Black author , former educator , and advocate for marginalized voices in both publishing and her community .
Her debut novel , Wings of Ebony , is part of a YA fantasy duology releasing February 23 , 2021 as a lead title in Simon & Schuster ’ s Spring lineup .
She is also the author of Park Row Magic Academy : A Taste of Magic , a lead title on Bloomsbury ’ s Spring 2022 list .

J.Elle on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

It’s the time of year where I try to decipher whether I’d prefer to channel my inner pumpkin or Catwoman. It’s always one of the two. I’ve never tried to dress up as anything else for Halloween. Though I’m in complete awe of people who get really creative and can make costumes, I’ve never been that crafty. And I’m way too cheap to buy a fancy one.
But this year, as Halloween approaches on the cusp of my debut novel releasing in February, I’ve been sitting with the idea of costumes and the layered complexities of the figurative “costumes” we often wear. I find the latter isn’t nearly as celebratory and festive as the former. But for many, myself included, and for one of the characters in my novel, costumes can be a means of self-preservation. And it begs examination of where those pressures originate.
Advertisement
I’ve never won Best Costume at a Halloween party. (Big surprise, right?) But, I’ve seen some costumes that are wildly impressive. And I think about the time and energy that went into crafting each little detail to make the veneer believable. It’s always in the details, isn’t it? The blending of the makeup contour, the veil, fake engagement ring, and bouquet the “dead” bride carries, the way the 3D makeup makes it look like the knife is really coming out of someone’s back. Hours of forethought poured into selecting a costume. What if Halloween were every day? Can you imagine how exhausting? How expensive? Red lipstick over a tired smile, a hat over hair deemed unruly...
For many of us, it often feels like it is.
The character I’ve written is engaged in a rescue mission of sorts. (Ahem, let’s try to do this without spoilers.) Because of what he looks like, he isn’t free to simply walk around and accomplish the task he’s after. He isn’t free to exist in the world around him without concealing the truth of who he is, so he dons a costume. And that’s a poignant reality for many of us who’ve had to minimize ourselves to move freely in a space.
Advertisement Advertisement
The figurative costumes we wear are woven—often subconsciously. Code-switching is a big one for me. When I speak to someone who I consider a part of my community or inner circle, I speak in a tone that’s relaxed, with a vernacular that’s authentic to me, African American Vernacular English (AAVE). I am understood. Communication occurs. But, when I’m in a setting where I feel the need to sit up a little straighter, my dialect often changes. And why is that? Could it be that the expectation is so deeply ingrained, we’ve internalized “sounding Black” as a bad thing? Or is it a fear of being judged as uneducated, unintelligent… fear of losing our chance to be heard or taken seriously?
Hair is another way I and so many others deal with acceptability, often finding ourselves conforming from a place of just being tired. Tired of conflict, stares, uncomfortable conversations. Several years ago, in a workshop (where there were students from all walks of life, races, genders, ethnicities) I was told my hair was “too large” and could I consider “taming it” to not be a “distraction” in future.
Advertisement
I was mortified, and what did I do? Conformed. I flat ironed it before the next class. My cheeks burn as I type this, but I’m trying to peel back the veil on what it’s like to be mercilessly reminded that your natural state of being is constantly othered. To be consumed with how you’ll assimilate—because of course, that’s the expectation, isn’t it? Make no mistake, they approached me with warm smiles and lots of “you understands.” The delivery wasn’t abrasive in tone or angry—it wasn’t a shotgun—it was a handgun with a silencer.
Inclusivity and diversity aren’t the same thing.
Back then, before I’d faced the muck of racist oppression I’d unknowingly internalized for years, I chose the path of least resistance and tried to just be small; get through it. Put it behind me. Sit in the humiliation hoping my Blackness didn’t offend anyone else. Would I do that today? Hell, no. Now, if you can’t see—move seats! It’s what I’d be expected to do if someone was a distraction to me.
Advertisement
I’m making a concerted effort to take off these “costumes.” That doesn’t mean I’m only going to speak in AAVE or use slang consistently. It means when I switch up how I speak it will be because I choose to. Because I possess a diversity of language that I will use as I see fit, instead of allowing societal expectations to dictate my speech.
My heart soars seeing my people embracing their natural hair, speaking how they choose. Shedding that oppressive sludge so many of us have made a part of our costumes. But, we are not a monolith. Every person who straightens their hair isn’t in denial about internalized oppression. And the inverse of that is also true. The difference is in motivation; shaped by whether or not we anticipate being allowed to engage in a space authentically.
Advertisement
So, don’t read into it the next time you flat iron your hair…or do if you think you’ve got some stuff to face or deal with. The key is you’re in control, not them. Put that iron to your scalp and switch up that tone because you want to; not because you’re expected to.
Wearing figurative costumes goes beyond code-switching and hair, of course. The list is lengthy and varies from person to person. But the fact remains—and Halloween is such a good reminder of this—costumes should be a choice, not a requirement.
Advertisement
If you’re one of those who feel like you don’t have to wear a costume, I applaud you. I also am a bit jealous. I encourage you to consider others who might still be shielding themselves behind one. If a person speaks and you understood the meaning of what was said, any judgment of them is your problem, not theirs. Why is the way you communicate more “correct” than the way someone else does? Especially if they got their message across.
And if that stung a bit, sit in that discomfort. Empathize with the person who feels like they must speak differently in your presence because...? Go ahead, fill in the blank. But start your answer with “I.”
Advertisement
This year, as we dress up by choice for fun, give some thought to people who, for various reasons, might be wearing costumes you can’t see. People who don’t have the freedom to don their earnest capes and show the S’s on their chests. Consider being intentional to not “host” accidental “costume contests” in the spaces you navigate daily.
Consider the ways you’re free to be yourself in ways others aren’t.
J.Elle is a prolific Black author, former educator, and advocate for marginalized voices in both publishing and her community. Her debut novel, Wings of Ebony, is part of a YA fantasy duology releasing February 23, 2021 as a lead title in Simon & Schuster’s Spring lineup. She is also the author of Park Row Magic Academy: A Taste of Magic, a lead title on Bloomsbury’s Spring 2022 list.


theroot--2020-10-31--Who's Winning Halloween 2020: Saweetie, Ciara, Lil Nas X, or Fake Melania?

Though this year ’ s Halloween celebrations will be unconventional—at least for those decent souls still observing social distancing guidelines—that hasn ’ t stopped diehard fans of the season from pulling out all the stops when it comes to their costumes .
Black celebrities are leading this pack with some transformations that demonstrate real dedication to the art of the Halloween costume .
First out of the block is Saweetie , with an impressive portrayal of all three members of Destiny ’ s Child during the “ Bootylicious ” era : The icy girl rapper even leveraged some video editing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iconic music video in which she depicts all of destiny ’ s children : Next up we have Lil Nas X , a long-rumoured Barb ( aka Nicki Minaj stan ) who turned himself into Onika from the “ Superbass ” era : Clearly we ’ re now at a point where celebs are going all in on the production of their Halloween looks , complete with accompanying professional photoshoots .
And if you ’ re sensing a popular theme with this year ’ s costumes , i.e .
that they are of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
Ciara dressed up as not one , not two , but three women who ’ ve been making their mark on the music industry in recent years .
Like Lil Nas X , the “ Goodies ” singer also took a turn as Nicki Minaj , this time bringing back one of the rapper ’ s infamous red-carpet outfits : Ciara also payed homage to Billboard-chart-topping newcomer Megan Thee Stallion , recreating the cover art from her “ Girls in the Hood ” single : And in an especially adorable costume , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cover of her album “ Invasion of Privacy ” alongside her son Future Zahir as Cardi ’ s hubby and frequent collaborator , Offset from the Migos : Lil Future ’ s swag is on a million , and we love to see it .
On the flip-side of these lighthearted costumes is the conspiracy now proliferating on social media that the President is cavorting across the country campaigning with a fake Melania by his side .
The rumors began percolating after this image of ‘ Melania ’ on an aircraft with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stone-faced First Lady we ’ ve come to know , came out last week : Then they went into overdrive in response to a video of ‘ Melania ’ being uncharacteristically affectionate with the Orange one on stage at a recent campaign event , including allowing him to kiss her and hold her though she has been frequently captured slapping away such touches from her husband .
Despite the social media chatter , additional photos of Melania speaking at the campaign event on Thursday seem to debunk the rumors , and USA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Melania has a body double as “ false.
” What ’ s really funny is that this is an issue in the first place because it ’ s so hard to believe that the First Lady ( or someonewho looks like her ) would tolerate the President without some contractual payment involved .
How ’ s that for trick or treat ?

Ishena Robinson on The Grapevine, shared by Ishena Robinson to The Root

Though this year’s Halloween celebrations will be unconventional—at least for those decent souls still observing social distancing guidelines—that hasn’t stopped diehard fans of the season from pulling out all the stops when it comes to their costumes.
Black celebrities are leading this pack with some transformations that demonstrate real dedication to the art of the Halloween costume.
Advertisement
First out of the block is Saweetie, with an impressive portrayal of all three members of Destiny’s Child during the “Bootylicious” era:
Advertisement Advertisement
The icy girl rapper even leveraged some video editing magic to recreate a scene from the iconic music video in which she depicts all of destiny’s children:
Advertisement
I am impressed!
Next up we have Lil Nas X, a long-rumoured Barb (aka Nicki Minaj stan) who turned himself into Onika from the “Superbass” era:
Advertisement
Clearly we’re now at a point where celebs are going all in on the production of their Halloween looks, complete with accompanying professional photoshoots.
Advertisement
And if you’re sensing a popular theme with this year’s costumes, i.e. that they are of Black women entertainers—you’re not wrong!
Ciara dressed up as not one, not two, but three women who’ve been making their mark on the music industry in recent years.
Advertisement
Like Lil Nas X, the “Goodies” singer also took a turn as Nicki Minaj, this time bringing back one of the rapper’s infamous red-carpet outfits:
Advertisement
Ciara also payed homage to Billboard-chart-topping newcomer Megan Thee Stallion, recreating the cover art from her “Girls in the Hood” single:
Advertisement
And in an especially adorable costume, Ciara dressed up as Cardi B from the cover of her album “Invasion of Privacy” alongside her son Future Zahir as Cardi’s hubby and frequent collaborator, Offset from the Migos:
Advertisement
Lil Future’s swag is on a million, and we love to see it.
On the flip-side of these lighthearted costumes is the conspiracy now proliferating on social media that the President is cavorting across the country campaigning with a fake Melania by his side.
Advertisement
The rumors began percolating after this image of ‘Melania’ on an aircraft with the President, not looking much like the stone-faced First Lady we’ve come to know, came out last week:
Advertisement
Then they went into overdrive in response to a video of ‘Melania’ being uncharacteristically affectionate with the Orange one on stage at a recent campaign event, including allowing him to kiss her and hold her though she has been frequently captured slapping away such touches from her husband.
Advertisement
Despite the social media chatter, additional photos of Melania speaking at the campaign event on Thursday seem to debunk the rumors, and USA Today issued a report declaring the claims that Melania has a body double as “false.”
Advertisement
What’s really funny is that this is an issue in the first place because it’s so hard to believe that the First Lady (or someonewho looks like her) would tolerate the President without some contractual payment involved.
How’s that for trick or treat?


theroot--2020-10-31--True Heart: Actress Rachel True Has a New 'Craft' to Share

“ I think I ’ m relevant past Halloween , ” laughs Rachel True , who first broke into our pop-cultural consciousness as “ Rochelle ” in the 1996 teen witch thriller The Craft .
With a now decades-long career in Hollywood , that is , of course , true ( pun intended ) ; but as The Craft has now been a cult classic long enough to inspire the recently released Blumhouse follow-up The Craft : Legacy , it ’ s equally impossible to separate True from the original film ’ s legacy .
( This , despite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ Mona ” on UPN ’ s early-aughts sitcom Half & Half also recently hit the streaming zeitgeist via Netflix—and no , she doesn ’ t know who Mona chose . )
And yet , in a classic case of art imitating life , True ’ s breakthrough role felt preternaturally suited for a young woman who ’ d begun exploring the occult ( which , for the record , simply means “ supernatural , mystical , or magical beliefs , practices , or phenomena ” ) early in life .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practitioner , and part of a movement committed to demystifying and destigmatizing esoteric studies , ” when True auditioned for Rochelle it was amid several months of immersing herself in deeper practice and study of the tarot .
“ I know the script for The Craft was attracted to me because of my enduring relationship to the cards and mystical studies , ” she writes in True Heart Intuitive Tarot , a book and tarot deck True released on October 13 .
Considering the fact that the film was originally written for four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to her theory .
“ Maybe I still would ’ ve somehow ended up booking The Craft—some parts are meant to be yours , ” she adds , “ but ... [ w ] ould my vibration have matched my character , Rochelle ?
Thank goodness I ’ ll never have to know.
” Thank goodness for all of us who loved seeing a Black girl cast in the film ’ s supernatural quartet ( one who delivers her racist bully a karmic comeuppance , no less ) .
“ Listen , Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” she only half-jokes .
But as True explains during our phone conversation , the true uses of the tarot aren ’ t sinister at all—or even necessarily supernatural .
“ The tarot tells the story of humanity , giving you insight into yourself by helping you clarify the now and make better choices for the future , ” she further explains .
“ They ’ re like a shrink in a box and spiritual Xanax all rolled into one.
” This is not to say True thinks the tarot is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to it .
In fact , as she reminds us in both the introduction to True Heart and during our discussion , Carl Jung , the founder of analytical psychology , heavily relied upon tarot in his practice .
“ In the beginning , it ’ s a way to get to know yourself , understand your subconscious motivation , help you decipher why you made that weird choice—which then lets you understand how not to make that weird choice again , ” True tells The Root .
“ It ’ s about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what I love about tarot in tandem with therapy is that we can feel our pain—experience it , feel it , own it , whatever you want to do with it .
But then , I love tarot for going , ‘ OK .
Now , how do I move past this ?
How do I not let this thing—this tragedy , this thing that didn ’ t work out for me , this love affair gone awry—define me for the rest of my life ?
’ Because I am the only thing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shift other people ’ s behavior.
” Reflection and accountability are recurrent themes in what True calls the “ hybrid book ” that accompanies the 78 cards comprising the Major and Minor Arcana .
The deck , gorgeously illustrated with intentionally diverse imagery by Toronto-based artist Stephanie Singleton , is an homage to the art of Pamela Colman Smith ( the illustrator of the quintessential Rider-Waite-Smith tarot , who is widely believed to have been mixed race . )
But instead of the typical brief instructional pamphlet , True ’ s 224-page book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memoir told through a series of intimate yet illustrative essays ; her own story used to explain in depth the archetypal hero ’ s journey represented by each of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana .
“ One of my hopes for this book would be to demystify and destigmatize these paper cards printed with ink , ” she says .
“ There ’ s nothing magical about the cards ; let me just dispel that myth right now .
The magic is what happens when you see the symbology and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And that feeling that comes up in you .
That ’ s actually the magic.
” As overused as the term “ Black girl magic ” has become in recent years ( yes , by us , as well ) , it has perhaps never been more appropriately applied than in reference to True .
For Gen X-ers like myself , she was among a handful of talents—Lisa Bonet , Persia White , and Cree Summer among them—who , while all biracial and well within a beauty standard traditionally more palatable to Hollywood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a certain type of “ odd weirdo Black girl portrayed onscreen , ” as True writes .
Having been a somewhat idiosyncratic Black girl myself coming of age in the ‘ 80s and ‘ 90s , I was among those who saw themselves in characters like Rochelle .
Reflecting on the era , True is both proud to have filled that representational void and yet under no illusion of the role her crossover-ready looks played in her career .
“ I was medium [ brown ] with curly hair .
And I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my hair curly , too , ” she notes , her still-natural hair texture a cultural touchstone she insisted on maintaining even when relaxers were de rigueur .
“ Thank goodness things are changing now , ” she adds .
“ You know , it ’ s a very diverse playing field out there now.
” It ’ s this type of self-awareness that makes True so innately likable .
Our hourlong discussion is filled with candor , laughter , and commiseration on being part of the largely lowkey and now mature MTV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contemporary culture .
( Hip-hop , anyone ?
You ’ re welcome . )
On the page , True is equally transparent as she revisits her own coming of age as the child of an at times emotionally difficult white father and “ manic pixie black girl ” mother .
Her guide through the tarot takes us through deeply relatable discussions of toxic romances , tragic losses , impostor syndrome , aging , and even the all-too-familiar Black woman experience of fibroids .
Throughout , True offers a vulnerable yet pragmatic lens on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool , even as she sprinkles her narrative with pop-cultural breadcrumbs , like an early-career stint as a stand-in on The Cosby Show ( where her intuition served her decades before any allegations surfaced ) .
“ When it came to writing the book , it was also very daunting because I thought , well , how much do you reveal in a book ?
” True , who also has several screenplays under her belt , admits .
“ So that ’ s a bit of a delicate dance.
” Then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during and in the aftermath of The Craft—including the questionable “ character flaw ” she was assigned as the only castmember of color .
“ I suspect they decided that if Nancy ’ s crisis was her drunk , white trash mother , Bonnie ’ s was her burns , and Sarah ’ s was her suicide attempt , my Blackness was a built-in albatross for Rochelle , ” she writes .
“ I thought about that at the time : ‘ Do they see my Blackness as a problem ?
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because , oh racism—yes , of course , I have to deal with racism .
But what ’ s my actual problem in this film ?
Not that I thought racism wasn ’ t a problem ; it was just so much a part of my everyday life.
” If the film ’ s writers problematized Rochelle ’ s race in 1996 , that misstep has sadly not been resolved in the decades since .
“ It ’ s decidedly weird to be known as ‘ the Black chick in that movie , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she writes .
“ Actor ego aside , being regularly excluded is unfortunate .
Representation matters .
The sheer amount of cognitive dissonance required to be Black in America is utterly exhausting.
” To her point , True has repeatedly been omitted from The Craft ’ s enduring legacy , whether left off of the film ’ s starring credits in media outlets or on the film ’ s IMDb page .
More recently , as she recounts in True Heart , she was excluded from an invitation to join her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; an omission that was not only deliberate but a potentially missed opportunity to stage the first cast reunion in 25 years .
“ I made it clear I ’ d also like to be at the convention , but it was made clear back to me that my presence was not wanted , ” she writes .
“ It was mind-boggling to me until I realized , ‘ Oh yeah , he doesn ’ t think he needs me .
He thinks I have no value .
He thinks I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ This would not stand.
” Turning to social media to express frustration over the slight , True ’ s relevance was indeed reaffirmed—and her invitation accordingly extended , to the delight of the convention ’ s audience .
“ I didn ’ t think anyone listened to my tweets , ” she laughs .
“ Girl , I didn ’ t know !
” Well , we knew—and True ’ s association with the supernatural doesn ’ t appear to be ending anytime soon .
( When asked about The Craft : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ It ’ s got big shoes.
” ) While , like many actors and artists , several of her pending projects were sidelined by the COVID outbreak , she will soon be back onscreen in the demonic possession thriller Agnes ( as a nun , no less ) , and has any number of other creative projects pending .
But for now , True is leaning into the introspection our present moment offers—and is inviting us to do the same with True Heart .
“ I ’ d love for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tool in your arsenal to use to further yourself along .
In this particular time—I don ’ t know if we ’ re at the end or the beginning of something , right ?
—and everything feels out of control .
Personally , I feel it ’ s super comforting to understand , in a reading , what you are in control of , which is yourself .
You know , the one thing you can determine what to do with and tell what to do is yourself .
So it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me feel like I ’ m standing on sturdier ground by having a tarot practice.
” Perhaps intuiting my own , less sturdy countenance as of late , just before we hang up , True is inspired to offer me a bit of personal advice on how to interpret this anxiety-ridden time .
“ Don ’ t fear it , ” she says .
“ As long as we take care of ourselves and whatever that means for you , or me ...
It ’ s all fine.
” True Heart Intuitive Tarot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from various booksellers .

Maiysha Kai on The Glow Up, shared by Maiysha Kai to The Root

“I think I’m relevant past Halloween,” laughs Rachel True, who first broke into our pop-cultural consciousness as “Rochelle” in the 1996 teen witch thriller The Craft. With a now decades-long career in Hollywood, that is, of course, true (pun intended); but as The Craft has now been a cult classic long enough to inspire the recently released Blumhouse follow-up The Craft: Legacy, it’s equally impossible to separate True from the original film’s legacy. (This, despite the fact that her other most-beloved role, as “Mona” on UPN’s early-aughts sitcom Half & Half also recently hit the streaming zeitgeist via Netflix—and no, she doesn’t know who Mona chose.)
And yet, in a classic case of art imitating life, True’s breakthrough role felt preternaturally suited for a young woman who’d begun exploring the occult (which, for the record, simply means “supernatural, mystical, or magical beliefs, practices, or phenomena”) early in life. In fact, as a self-described “lifelong practitioner, and part of a movement committed to demystifying and destigmatizing esoteric studies,” when True auditioned for Rochelle it was amid several months of immersing herself in deeper practice and study of the tarot.
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“I know the script for The Craft was attracted to me because of my enduring relationship to the cards and mystical studies,” she writes in True Heart Intuitive Tarot, a book and tarot deck True released on October 13. Considering the fact that the film was originally written for four white characters, there may be something to her theory. “Maybe I still would’ve somehow ended up booking The Craft—some parts are meant to be yours,” she adds, “but...[w]ould my vibration have matched my character, Rochelle? Thank goodness I’ll never have to know.”
Thank goodness for all of us who loved seeing a Black girl cast in the film’s supernatural quartet (one who delivers her racist bully a karmic comeuppance, no less). “Listen, Black witches are some of the OG witches!” she only half-jokes. But as True explains during our phone conversation, the true uses of the tarot aren’t sinister at all—or even necessarily supernatural.
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“The tarot tells the story of humanity, giving you insight into yourself by helping you clarify the now and make better choices for the future,” she further explains. “They’re like a shrink in a box and spiritual Xanax all rolled into one.”
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This is not to say True thinks the tarot is a replacement for therapy, but rather complementary to it. In fact, as she reminds us in both the introduction to True Heart and during our discussion, Carl Jung, the founder of analytical psychology, heavily relied upon tarot in his practice.
“In the beginning, it’s a way to get to know yourself, understand your subconscious motivation, help you decipher why you made that weird choice—which then lets you understand how not to make that weird choice again,” True tells The Root. “It’s about taking ownership, too...I think what I love about tarot in tandem with therapy is that we can feel our pain—experience it, feel it, own it, whatever you want to do with it. But then, I love tarot for going, ‘OK. Now, how do I move past this? How do I not let this thing—this tragedy, this thing that didn’t work out for me, this love affair gone awry—define me for the rest of my life?’ Because I am the only thing I can shift. I cannot shift other people’s behavior.”
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Reflection and accountability are recurrent themes in what True calls the “hybrid book” that accompanies the 78 cards comprising the Major and Minor Arcana. The deck, gorgeously illustrated with intentionally diverse imagery by Toronto-based artist Stephanie Singleton, is an homage to the art of Pamela Colman Smith (the illustrator of the quintessential Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, who is widely believed to have been mixed race.) But instead of the typical brief instructional pamphlet, True’s 224-page book is part spiritual manual, part Hollywood memoir told through a series of intimate yet illustrative essays; her own story used to explain in depth the archetypal hero’s journey represented by each of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana.
“One of my hopes for this book would be to demystify and destigmatize these paper cards printed with ink,” she says. “There’s nothing magical about the cards; let me just dispel that myth right now. The magic is what happens when you see the symbology and that hits you on a visceral level. And that feeling that comes up in you. That’s actually the magic.”
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As overused as the term “Black girl magic” has become in recent years (yes, by us, as well), it has perhaps never been more appropriately applied than in reference to True. For Gen X-ers like myself, she was among a handful of talents—Lisa Bonet, Persia White, and Cree Summer among them—who, while all biracial and well within a beauty standard traditionally more palatable to Hollywood and non-Black audiences, also gave life to a certain type of “odd weirdo Black girl portrayed onscreen,” as True writes.
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Having been a somewhat idiosyncratic Black girl myself coming of age in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I was among those who saw themselves in characters like Rochelle. Reflecting on the era, True is both proud to have filled that representational void and yet under no illusion of the role her crossover-ready looks played in her career.
“I was medium [brown] with curly hair. And I was one of the few people wearing my hair curly, too,” she notes, her still-natural hair texture a cultural touchstone she insisted on maintaining even when relaxers were de rigueur. “Thank goodness things are changing now,” she adds. “You know, it’s a very diverse playing field out there now.”
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It’s this type of self-awareness that makes True so innately likable. Our hourlong discussion is filled with candor, laughter, and commiseration on being part of the largely lowkey and now mature MTV generation who nevertheless defined so much of contemporary culture. (Hip-hop, anyone? You’re welcome.) On the page, True is equally transparent as she revisits her own coming of age as the child of an at times emotionally difficult white father and “manic pixie black girl” mother. Her guide through the tarot takes us through deeply relatable discussions of toxic romances, tragic losses, impostor syndrome, aging, and even the all-too-familiar Black woman experience of fibroids.
Throughout, True offers a vulnerable yet pragmatic lens on how the tarot can be an interpretive tool, even as she sprinkles her narrative with pop-cultural breadcrumbs, like an early-career stint as a stand-in on The Cosby Show (where her intuition served her decades before any allegations surfaced).
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“When it came to writing the book, it was also very daunting because I thought, well, how much do you reveal in a book?” True, who also has several screenplays under her belt, admits. “So that’s a bit of a delicate dance.”
Then, there were her experiences of marginalization both during and in the aftermath of The Craft—including the questionable “character flaw” she was assigned as the only castmember of color.
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“I suspect they decided that if Nancy’s crisis was her drunk, white trash mother, Bonnie’s was her burns, and Sarah’s was her suicide attempt, my Blackness was a built-in albatross for Rochelle,” she writes.
“I thought about that at the time: ‘Do they see my Blackness as a problem?’” she says during our conversation. “Because, oh racism—yes, of course, I have to deal with racism. But what’s my actual problem in this film? Not that I thought racism wasn’t a problem; it was just so much a part of my everyday life.”
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If the film’s writers problematized Rochelle’s race in 1996, that misstep has sadly not been resolved in the decades since. “It’s decidedly weird to be known as ‘the Black chick in that movie,’ but it is what it is,” she writes. “Actor ego aside, being regularly excluded is unfortunate. Representation matters. The sheer amount of cognitive dissonance required to be Black in America is utterly exhausting.”
To her point, True has repeatedly been omitted from The Craft’s enduring legacy, whether left off of the film’s starring credits in media outlets or on the film’s IMDb page. More recently, as she recounts in True Heart, she was excluded from an invitation to join her three co-stars at a major convention appearance; an omission that was not only deliberate but a potentially missed opportunity to stage the first cast reunion in 25 years.
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“I made it clear I’d also like to be at the convention, but it was made clear back to me that my presence was not wanted,” she writes. “It was mind-boggling to me until I realized, ‘Oh yeah, he doesn’t think he needs me. He thinks I have no value. He thinks I’m just the Black girl from The Craft.’ This would not stand.”
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Turning to social media to express frustration over the slight, True’s relevance was indeed reaffirmed—and her invitation accordingly extended, to the delight of the convention’s audience. “I didn’t think anyone listened to my tweets,” she laughs. “Girl, I didn’t know!”
Well, we knew—and True’s association with the supernatural doesn’t appear to be ending anytime soon. (When asked about The Craft: Legacy, she simply chuckles and responds, “It’s got big shoes.”) While, like many actors and artists, several of her pending projects were sidelined by the COVID outbreak, she will soon be back onscreen in the demonic possession thriller Agnes (as a nun, no less), and has any number of other creative projects pending. But for now, True is leaning into the introspection our present moment offers—and is inviting us to do the same with True Heart.
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“I’d love for people to get that tarot is simply another tool in your arsenal to use to further yourself along. In this particular time—I don’t know if we’re at the end or the beginning of something, right?—and everything feels out of control. Personally, I feel it’s super comforting to understand, in a reading, what you are in control of, which is yourself. You know, the one thing you can determine what to do with and tell what to do is yourself. So it’s really empowering, actually, and makes me feel like I’m standing on sturdier ground by having a tarot practice.”
Perhaps intuiting my own, less sturdy countenance as of late, just before we hang up, True is inspired to offer me a bit of personal advice on how to interpret this anxiety-ridden time. “Don’t fear it,” she says. “As long as we take care of ourselves and whatever that means for you, or me...It’s all fine.”
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True Heart Intuitive Tarot ($27) is available now from various booksellers.