Three Generations of Black Women on Beauty and Style | Encore Episode

Summary

Naked Beauty Podcast
Episode: Three Generations of Black Women on Beauty and Style | Encore Episode
Host: Brooke DeVard Ozaydinli
Guests: Brooke’s mother Jerry, and her grandmother
Air Date: February 23, 2026

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Episode Overview

Brooke brings together her mother and grandmother for a raw, loving, intergenerational conversation about beauty, aging, self-care, legacy, and style within a Black family. Through heartfelt anecdotes and humorous exchanges, the women reflect on evolving fashion, family traditions, wellness routines, and the joys of parenthood and grandparenthood. This episode serves as a living tribute to female lineage, resilience, and the real meaning behind timeless beauty.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fashion & Beauty Across Generations

• The Glamour of the 1950s

  • Grandma reflects on growing up glamorously in 1950s New York, recalling specific Easter outfits and the excitement of shopping with her mother.
  • [01:23] Grandma: “I can remember one outfit that took me, I guess, two months of my salary to pay for...a blue cashmere coat with a cape around the sleeves, and it had pearls and different embezzlement.”

• Developing a Sense of Style

  • Grandma credits her mother’s careful eye for dressing her children, matching socks and ribbons, and being inspired by window shopping and church fashion icons.
  • [02:46] Grandma: “My mother was very good at dressing us as children...I always had something in my head that matched my socks.”

• Mother-Daughter Style Evolution

  • Jerry (Brooke’s mom) admits she didn’t appreciate her mom’s style until college, where she herself became interested in fashion and embraced a natural, short afro.
  • [05:09] Jerry: “It was just so natural to me that I cut off all my hair and wore it short for years...I loved it because I thought it showcased who I was.”

• Passing on Inspiration

  • Brooke discovers her grandmother’s short natural hair was inspired by her own mother, underlining the chain of mutual influence.
  • [05:44] Grandma: “I follow Jerry. Once she cut her hair and it was so pretty, then I cut mine.”

2. Attitudes Toward Aging & Self-Acceptance

• Rejecting Fear of Aging

  • Grandma is unapologetic about her age, embracing life, fashion, and self-presentation regardless of societal expectations.
  • [07:10] Grandma: “I never had that fear. Friends call me an older teenager because I never think of going into the women’s department.”

• Beauty Standards and Media Pressure

  • Jerry addresses societal pressure to remain young:
  • [08:21] Jerry: “No one likes the signs of aging. It’s like gravity, you know, right—full force gravity...I think we’ve gone too far. If we can take anything from the natural hair care movement...it’s beautiful that at a certain age you look a certain way.”

• Beauty Through the Ages

  • Both Jerry and Grandma recount being told they don’t look their age, facing skepticism at airports and even at vaccine appointments.
  • [09:26] Grandma: “They never believe...I said, 86. The lady say, show me something. I said, well, you know, women don’t lie about the age putting it up. They might lie going down.”

3. Motherhood and Family Legacy

• The Joy (and Work) of Motherhood

  • The women express deep pride and affection in witnessing the next generations become mothers and grandmothers.
  • [12:02] Grandma: “Oh my goodness. It’s a thrill that I cannot describe...I was there the day you were born.”

• Sacrifice and Appreciation

  • Brooke shares how motherhood has given her new appreciation for her own mother’s dedication.
  • [13:23] Brooke: “It makes me appreciate so much more, you know, what you and dad have done for me—more so you.”

• The Cycle of Parenting Advice

  • Playful exchanges reveal the cyclical nature of advice and critique between mothers and daughters.
  • [15:11] Grandma: “When you tell her all these things to do, I laugh...Now she’s received it.”

• Resilience and Education

  • Jerry reflects on her mother’s extraordinary educational achievement as a single mother of two, inspiring her own drive.

  • [17:00] Jerry: “My mother’s life has inspired me...you can be whatever you set your mind to do, but do it well.”

  • Grandma explains her motivation to pursue higher education and balance family:

  • [18:09] Grandma: “I wanted more for my children...that was my inspiration, to do something that I could also raise my children and have a better life.”

4. Beauty Icons & Community Influence

• Role Models

  • Grandma found inspiration not in celebrities but in local teachers and stylish church women.
  • [20:25] Grandma: “I think it came from watching women at church...Everybody waited to see what they would wear every Sunday.”

• Iconic Encounters

  • Memorable story: meeting Muhammad Ali at a Harlem beauty parlor, being told to embrace her natural hair.
  • [20:53] Grandma: “He said to me, little girl, stop coming in here to get your hair straightened. You have beautiful hair. Don’t straighten it.”

• Era Reflections

  • Jerry discusses her disco-era style at Spelman, embracing bold fashion and heels—even at 5’10”.
  • [23:04] Jerry: “Oh, yeah. I never got that thing about, you know, only short women wore heels. No, I like them. And I wore them.”

5. Self-Confidence & Upbringing

• Roots of Confidence

  • Grandma attributes her self-belief to being surrounded by family love and support.
  • [23:34] Grandma: “My father always told us we were smart...my mother thought she had the smartest daughters ever.”

• Intergenerational Support

  • Jerry: “My mom, the person you’re talking to. That’s where it [confidence] came from.”
  • [24:25]

6. Wellness, Self-Care, and Beauty Secrets

• Skincare Simplicity

  • Grandma never wore makeup; she credits simple regimens (Vaseline, basic creams) and recently, Brooke’s skincare gifts (Tata Harper, Face Hero oil).
  • [06:10] Grandma: “I never wore makeup...the only thing I remember...Vaseline on my legs and arms and some kind of cream on my face.”

• Modern Routines

  • Jerry values hydration, balanced diet, walking, and de-emphasizes unnecessary cosmetic procedures:
  • [31:51] Jerry: “I drink a lot of water...I walk two times a week, about four and a half miles.”

• Beauty & Wellness Advice

  • Grandma: “Be careful in what you eat because what you eat is what you are.”
  • [30:41]

• On Sleep & Rest

  • “You have to get a lot of rest and just be careful what you eat.” —Grandma [31:36]
  • Jerry shares a unique beauty tip about sleeping on your back to prevent face wrinkles, learned from her friend Eula.
  • [33:20] Jerry: “The beauty secret that I learned...is sleep on your back.”

• Rest as Self-Care

  • Grandma has mastered doing nothing as an art, scheduling rest days guilt-free.

  • [26:09] Grandma: “I have learned how to chill...I have learned how to do that.”

  • Jerry is still learning, aspiring to master this art by her 80s.

  • [27:09] Jerry: “So when I’m 84, I’ll be...”

• Perspective After Illness

  • Grandma stays positive post-cancer, always keeping hopeful plans ahead.
  • [27:37] Grandma: “Stay positive and always have something planned that you’re doing.”

7. Travel and Broadened Horizons

• Global Experiences

  • Grandma’s love of travel brings appreciation for home and diversity, with favorites including South Africa and Bali. Next on her list: Argentina.
  • [29:11] Grandma: “I get to see other cultures, how other people live, and how fortunate I am...I’m really, truly blessed.”

• Fashion Capitals

  • Paris is cited as a pinnacle for food and fashion inspiration.
  • [30:21] Grandma: “I was very impressed with the food and with the fashion.”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:18] Grandma: “Tomorrow is Easter, and I remember always marching in the Easter parade up or down Fifth Avenue...”
• [05:44] Grandma: “I follow Jerry. Once she cut her hair and it was so pretty, then I cut mine.”
• [07:10] Grandma: “I never had that fear [of aging]...I just look at clothes, and if I like it, I buy it and I wear it.”
• [13:53] Jerry: “It’s what moms do. That’s why moms are so revered. There’s nothing like a mom.”
• [17:00] Jerry: “My mother’s life has inspired me...It’s not like she sat me down and said, okay, this is how it’s going to be. People watch you, and you learn from their struggles and their perseverance.”
• [20:53] Grandma: “He [Muhammad Ali] said to me, little girl, stop coming in here to get your hair straightened. You have beautiful hair. Don’t straighten it.”
• [23:34] Grandma: “My father always told us we were smart...we were surrounded with love and attention.”
• [26:09] Grandma: “I have lived long enough to do absolutely nothing and do only what I want to do.”
• [27:37] Grandma: “Stay positive and always have something planned that you’re doing.”
• [31:36] Grandma: “You have to get a lot of rest...and just be careful what you eat.”
• [33:20] Jerry: “The beauty secret that I learned from my girlfriend Eula is sleep on your back.”
• [36:05] Jerry: “I feel most beautiful when I look beautiful. Hair done, nails done, everything did.”
• [36:07] Grandma: “I feel beautiful when I am beautiful, when I’m beautifully dressed. Dressed to the nine.”

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:39 – Grandma’s age and attitude about aging
• 01:20 – 1950s NYC glamour and Easter parade fashion
• 03:35 – Jerry’s childhood fashion awareness and transition to her own style
• 05:09 – The story of cutting hair short in college; mutual inspiration
• 06:02 – Skincare and makeup routines (or lack thereof)
• 07:10 – Fear (or lack) of aging; dressing for oneself
• 13:23 – Reflections on motherhood and gratitude across generations
• 15:11 – Cycle of parenting advice in families
• 17:00 – Grandma’s educational journey as a single mother
• 20:53 – Meeting Muhammad Ali and early messages of Black beauty
• 23:34 – Sources of confidence and family love
• 26:09 – Self-care routines, the art of doing nothing
• 27:37 – Life perspective after cancer
• 29:11 – On travel, favorite places, and why travel matters
• 31:36 – Dietary habits, sleep, and wellness
• 33:20 – Sleeping on your back for beauty; how to sleep well
• 36:05 – When do you feel most beautiful?

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Episode Tone & Atmosphere

Warm, familial, candid, and loving—a blend of generational wisdom, playful teasing, real talk on beauty pressures, and heartfelt appreciation. There’s a mix of humor (“That was a finger popping read”), realism about aging, sincere admiration, and an ever-present theme of legacy and joy.

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In Summary

This episode is a celebration of Black womanhood and family legacy, tracing how beauty, style, confidence, and care are passed, learned, and redefined through generations. With a mix of nostalgia, practical advice, and laughter, Brooke, her mother, and grandmother offer a master class in loving yourself, cherishing the women around you, and redefining beauty as something far deeper than age or fashion.

Transcript

[Brooke]

So I am joined with my mom and my grandmother tonight for this episode of Naked Beauty. Thank you guys for being on.

[Jerry]

We're happy to be here.

[Grandma]

Delighted, Brooke. Delighted.

[Brooke]

And I'm very excited to have this intergenerational conversation about beauty with you all. You guys were on the podcast back in 2017 when I had first started, so this is a great return.

[Grandma]

You've come a long way, Brooke, a long way from our first podcast with you.

[Brooke]

Yes, the podcast has come a long way. I've. I've become a mother as well since that recording. So a lot to talk about. So, Grandma, I'm going to start with you. Can I share your age? Do you want to share your age? Yes.

[Grandma]

I'm 86 years old, and I'll be 87 December 1st.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

Put that on your calendar. December 1st, my birthday.

[Jerry]

But you look no older than 60.

[Grandma]

That's a compliment, Jerry. That's a real compliment.

[Jerry]

It's the truth. It's the truth.

[Grandma]

Thank you. Thank you.

[Brooke]

You do look really great. I want to talk about beauty culture when you were growing up. So, Grandma, when you were in. What year was it when you were in your 20s?

[Grandma]

I was in my 20s.

[Jerry]

50s.

[Grandma]

In 55. 56.

[Brooke]

Okay, so the 1950s. And were you living in New York then?

[Grandma]

Yes, I was living in New York.

[Brooke]

So what was New York like in the 50s? Was it very glamorous?

[Grandma]

Very glamorous. In fact, tomorrow is Easter, and I remember always marching in the Easter parade up or down Fifth Avenue, and I can remember one outfit that took me, I guess, two months of my salary to pay for. The coat that I wanted to wear was always cool in New York. Easter. And I had a blue cashmere coat with a cape around the sleeves, and it had pearls and different embezzlement.

[Jerry]

Oh, my God.

[Grandma]

Absolutely gorgeous. And I had a navy hat trimmed in white. And during those days, you planned what you were wearing on Easter Sunday? Always.

[Brooke]

Yes. Well, I've seen your. Your pictures, and it looked like you always had a beautiful outfit, amazing hair, the whole thing.

[Grandma]

Well, you know, I think it came natural with me. I never planned. And still, even today, I don't plan outfits. I just put it together. I think I have an eye for. For fashion. I think I have.

[Brooke]

Brooke, you definitely have an eye for. For fashion. How do you think you developed it? Was it from your mom or growing up? Were you looking at magazines? How. What inspired you?

[Grandma]

No, I would go shopping with my mom that never really shopped for herself. She always shopped for her children. And I was the oldest sibling. I'm the oldest, and I always managed to look in the windows at fashion. And my mother was very good at dressing us as children. I think I got it from her. Although she did not wear fashionable clothes and was not in it herself, but for her children, she always wanted us to be matched with socks and. And ribbon bows to match. I always had something in my head that matched my socks. And I think I just grew up knowing that I had to match myself up with colors.

[Brooke]

Yes. And mom, question for you now, growing up, did you understand that your mom was very glamorous?

[Jerry]

No. Not growing up. No. She was just my mom.

[Brooke]

Just your mom? Well, I remember watching you, you know, get ready for galas and your whole getting ready routine and your outfits and thinking like, wow, my mom has really got amazing style.

[Jerry]

Okay, so you were advanced. I took. I was on a slow boat here. It was only once I became much older, maybe I would say a late teenager, that I recognized my mom's style because she was trying to get me into it because I wasn't really into fashion.

[Grandma]

Not into it, definitely. I was almost ashamed of my little girl.

[Jerry]

You were ashamed of me, Mom?

[Grandma]

Almost. Almost ashamed. I would dress you in the mornings for preschool, and when I pick you up in the evening, I didn't know you well.

[Jerry]

That was just preschool fun. But, but, but in terms of my. I was never one that really naturally was into fashion and glamour and. But old. You know, in my 20s, I would say in my. My late teens, I. I adapted, you know, and really got into it.

[Grandma]

Brooke, I think college, I don't think you were in.

[Jerry]

Okay, okay.

[Brooke]

That was a read.

[Jerry]

That was a read.

[Brooke]

That was like.

[Jerry]

That was a finger popping read.

[Brooke]

Okay, all right. But I have seen the pictures of you, mom, in. In college with your short cropped afro.

[Jerry]

Oh. By the time I got to college, I. I had. I had the playbook.

[Grandma]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

Yes, yes, yes. Tell me about cutting off all of your hair like that.

[Jerry]

You know, it's funny, I look back at it now, and it was just so natural to me that I cut off all my hair and wore it short for years. I wore my hair short like that for. Not only all throughout college, but like two or three years after college. And I loved it because I thought it showcased who I was without having to worry about what my hair looked like. And I don't think I thought about it at the time. I just cut it all off.

[Grandma]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

And grandma, you've always had. Well, obviously since I've remembered you, short, short, natural hair. Which I think is so beautiful, and it suits you.

[Grandma]

Well, I follow Jerry. Once she cut her hair and it was so pretty, then I cut mine.

[Brooke]

Oh, wow. I never knew that.

[Grandma]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

She inspired you.

[Grandma]

She inspired me.

[Brooke]

Wow. So in terms of your skincare routine and makeup, you've never really been into makeup.

[Grandma]

No. And as a child, I. Even as a young woman, I never wore makeup.

[Brooke]

Yeah. Maybe that's why your skin is so great.

[Grandma]

I never wore makeup, foundation, or anything. The only thing I remember was it was called black and white ointment, I think, or something like that. Vaseline. I remember putting Vaseline on my. My legs and arms and some kind of cream on my face.

[Brooke]

And now I know you've been able to try some of the products that I've given you. And out of everything, you like the Tata Harper, that's the green and gold.

[Grandma]

And I also love that oil.

[Brooke]

Oh, the face hero. That oil.

[Grandma]

That all is beautiful. In fact, I put the moisturizer on first, and then I put the oil last. Yeah.

[Brooke]

Yes. Okay. I'm so happy you like that. So when people think about aging, I think a lot of people are worried, you know, when I get older, am I not going to have an opportunity to, you know, dress up and look good? A lot of women are very concerned about aging. It's a big fear that women have.

[Grandma]

I never had that fear. In fact, friends call me an older teenager because I never think of going into the women's department or whatever. I just look at clothes, and if I like it, I buy it and I wear it. I don't think there's anything that I stopped wearing. I even wear shorts. I don't wear bikinis anymore, but I do wear shots.

[Jerry]

Drop the mic.

[Grandma]

You wear shorts, Mom. Yes, but.

[Jerry]

Okay, but are they like booty shorts or.

[Grandma]

No, they're not booty shorts. They come to the knee.

[Jerry]

Oh, well, those are like Bermuda shorts.

[Grandma]

Okay, well, they. Shots. They're still shots.

[Brooke]

Yeah.

[Grandma]

Okay, but.

[Jerry]

But you still have great legs.

[Grandma]

Oh, thank you.

[Jerry]

Thank you.

[Brooke]

You do. You do. You have a great figure. Mom, I want to ask you about aging because it's something that comes up a lot that. Well, I don't even know if women are afraid of aging, but I think in a weird way, we're taught to be afraid of aging because so much of marketing is about anti aging, and don't go in the sun, and more so than you'll get skin cancer. It's like, because it will make you look old. And I think at a young age, you sort of Learn that you want to look as young as possible for as long as possible.

[Jerry]

Well. Well, yeah. No one likes, you know, the. The signs of aging. I mean, it's like gravity, you know, Right. Full force gravity. Everything starts to sink and sag and, you know, where you had, like, life and lift, it becomes like, gravity and, you know, ugh. But here's the thing. I think that we've gone too far. And if we can take anything from, like, the natural hair care movement, like where your hair is, your hair, it's beautiful that at a certain age you look a certain way, and that's beautiful. Like trying to chase what you used to look like.

[Grandma]

It doesn't work. Yeah.

[Jerry]

Not only does it not work, but it always makes you feel less than. Like, I want to look like I looked before. But you're beautiful now. I've seen so many women. I look at them and I make a point to say, you're beautiful. You look great. That happens to you all the time, Mom. People stop you all the time because you recognize beauty. It doesn't take away if you're older and you're beautiful. But you wanted to tell a story at the airport.

[Grandma]

They never believe. They asked me to take my shoes off, and I said, no, I'm not going to take my shoes off. And they'll say, how old are you? And I said, coming to Sag harbor? I said, 86. The lady say, show me something. I said, well, you know, women don't lie about the age putting it up. They might lie going down.

[Jerry]

Women lie about the age. Old time, Mom.

[Brooke]

No, she said.

[Grandma]

She said, they don't lie about being older.

[Jerry]

Oh, right.

[Grandma]

No, no, no. I said. I said, I wouldn't say I'm 86 and I'm 50 or 60 or 70. I wouldn't. And I know even when I went for my vaccine, the lady stopped me and she said, only 75 and above. And I had to show her my ID in order to go for my appointment.

[Brooke]

Yeah, I believe it because you do look amazing for your age. So the vaccine has come, and so now people are having more freedom. How has this past year been for you in quarantine?

[Grandma]

Quarantine in the beginning, was okay because I thought in a month or two, it would be over. And as time went on, it was really not good for me. But I managed to say, it will be over soon. And, of course, you kept me very busy during pregnancy. I would see you on FaceTime every day. And then, of course, when Marvy came, my entire life changed. I saw him all during the day. And everybody that knows me knows Marvy because that's my whole life now. I talk about him. I. Look, he's just precious. My precious great grandson Marvi. And I just love him to death. And he's so sweet and so affectionate and so smart. In fact, he was born smart. I saw him. I don't know what you call it.

[Brooke]

It's the ultrasound.

[Jerry]

Yeah.

[Grandma]

When you would send me the pictures, he had the pose in there as the thinker. And of course, it never changed. He was the thinker for nine months, and. And he came out thinking, and he still thinks. He's a smart boy. And I'm not saying that because he's my great grandchild. He is smart.

[Brooke]

He is. So you have now been able to see your daughter become a mom and now your granddaughter become a mom.

[Grandma]

Yes.

[Brooke]

What was it like for you, seeing your daughter become a mom with me?

[Grandma]

Oh, my goodness. It's a thrill that I cannot describe. I was just so happy. In fact, I was there the day you were born. I was there that evening.

[Brooke]

Wow.

[Grandma]

You were not 24 hours old before. Before I was in Minneapolis at the hospital to see you. It was a joy, and it was something that I looked forward to.

[Jerry]

Well, that's because you flew from Atlanta, Mom. As soon as you heard that I was in labor, you booked your flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis.

[Grandma]

That's right. I was ready. I was on go. It was so exciting. And that's why it's marvelous for me to see Jerry now with her being

[Brooke]

a grandma for the first time. Yes.

[Grandma]

She's completely crazy. Just completely crazy. Completely crazy.

[Brooke]

Well, mom, do you want to respond to that?

[Jerry]

No. I am obsessed. I am like. I live for Mavi.

[Brooke]

So, Mom, I want to ask you, what was it like watching me become a mom?

[Jerry]

It was so much fun. I mean, I loved kind of the transition of your body from not showing to showing to, like, being almost ready. It was. Yeah. I relived kind of being in that moment, but every moment, I would sit there and say, my baby is having a baby. Where did the time go?

[Brooke]

I can imagine. And I think, for me, being a mom, realizing how much work it takes and how much sacrifice and how much your whole world becomes about taking care of your child, it makes me appreciate so much more, you know, what you and dad have done for me more so you. I mean, just when I think about the physical burden that's on the woman, and then usually most times, the mother takes on most of the parenting in terms of waking up in the middle of the night, all of that. Like, just realizing that you did all of that for Alexander and I.

[Jerry]

Well, it's what. It's what moms do. That's why moms are so revered. You know, it's like, there's nothing like a mom. I mean, dads are amazing, but there's nothing like Mom. And when you get that combination of mom, child.

[Grandma]

Right.

[Jerry]

It's a beautiful, beautiful thing.

[Brooke]

Yes, absolutely. I also think about how I, like, wipe his butt and bathe him, and one day he's gonna slam the door at me and say, like, mom, don't come in. I'm changing.

[Jerry]

Or, you know, or you don't understand me. Or you'll go from hugging him to him not wanting to hold your hand because his friends see you, or wanting to be with his friends other than you, but. But that happens down the road, and you're prepared for it. But it's like, at every stage, it's beautiful. And the greatest thing you can do is share your love for someone and your appreciation, which is what, you know, we've been fortunate in our family to have, like, four generations of love and support. My mom loved me and was my best friend. And I love you, and I hope to be one of your friends. Not your best friend, but. And then, you know, Mavi, it goes from generation to generation. You're taught how to love. You're taught the importance of family. And sometimes that doesn't happen, unfortunately, in families.

[Grandma]

I'm just thinking back. I love to watch Jerry now as a grandmammy, when you tell her how to take care of Marvi. The first time I had you without Jerry, and she wrote me a dissertation as to how I should take care of you, I could not believe it. So when you tell her all these things to do, I laugh. I just smile because I say payback is something else I love to pay back. Now she's received it.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

I love it. Yeah. And all moms and grandmamas go through the same thing. When you talk to them, you know, you feel that she doesn't know what time to give him his milk and when to feed him. And you remind her of the time. And she probably knows it better than you in terms of. Of when to give him the bottle and when to feed him. So it's fun. It's. It's really fun.

[Jerry]

But I. I do, because I raised Brooke and Alexander the way I wanted to raise them, and you allowed me to do that. Whatever Brooke wants to do, I'm good with. I don't have any preconceived ideas because she's such a great mom. And if she wants, you know, something from Mavi, I'm like, okay, I'm going to do that.

[Brooke]

Thank you. And it's so funny now I feel like that's the best compliment that I can get. If someone says you're a great mom, nothing really feels better than that.

[Grandma]

Oh, yeah, yeah. And you are a great, sweet, caring moment. The way you talk to him, the way he responds to your voice when you are talking to him is very delightful. Very.

[Brooke]

Thank you. So, Mom, a question for you. I'm curious. What's a lesson or something that has inspired you about Grandma's life that you've taken with you and has informed the way you approach life?

[Grandma]

Oh, my God.

[Jerry]

My mother's life has inspired me. I mean, the idea that you can, with two young children, go back to school and get your undergraduate college degree and your master's degree and your EDD and your PhD without a husband, without lots of money, without all the things that people have that affirm who they are taught me that I could be anything. And I had no excuses. And, you know, you think about it, it's not like she sat me down and said, okay, this is how it's going to be. I just watched her children watch you. People watch you, and you. You learn from their struggles and their persistence and their perseverance. And. And that's what she taught me, was that, you know, you can be whatever you set your mind to do, but do it well.

[Brooke]

And, Grandma, what was it like for you going and pursuing your PhD and pursuing higher education while being a single mom with two kids? And what was that like for you to get through?

[Grandma]

First of all, I realized that I wanted more for my children. I first worked with the Department of Welfare, and I saw so many women struggling and staying at one level and not moving on. And then when I went back to college to get a teaching certificate and realized that I had parent Teachers association meetings, I had students to see in the afternoon, and then I had my children that I realized I was missing out on things that I need to attend, and I made the decision that I had to have a position that I could make time to be with my young children. And that's when I decided that I would go back to school and teach graduate school, and then I could make my own time, be home with my children when they got off from, I mean, out of school. And I still had time to do things with. With children and still keep a position. So that was my inspiration to do something that I could also raise my children and have a better life and enjoy them growing up, and that was good.

[Brooke]

We talked a little bit about beauty at the start and your sense of fashion. Who did you look up to in terms of who your beauty icons were? So for me, it's like I was looking at Beyonce and Destiny's Child and thinking, wow, like, if I could look like that, that would be amazing. Who did you look at and think was really stylish?

[Grandma]

I didn't grow up during the. To really look at anyone. I think my teachers were my inspiration. I had several young, fashionable teachers that I admired.

[Brooke]

And this was in Jacksonville.

[Grandma]

Yeah, in Jacksonville, Florida, where I went to high school. And that was my inspiration. I don't remember any movie actresses or

[Brooke]

anyone that inspires you, Mom.

[Jerry]

You are so fashionable and you have such a great sense of style. Where do you think that came from?

[Grandma]

I think it came from watching women at church. We had several, I call them fashion icons now that were just. Everybody waited to see what they would wear every Sunday.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

So I think between my teachers and women at church gave me a sense of style that I wanted to look like they look.

[Brooke]

And then I remember a story when you said, when you were a young girl, didn't you meet Muhammad Ali?

[Grandma]

I met Muhammad Ali at my beautician. I. I attended, not attended, but I would go to have my hair straightened at that time. We call it straightened. And it was right next to the Teresa Hotel at 124th, I think, and Lennox or 7th Avenue, I can't remember now. And he would be in there, you know, that's where he would hang out. And he said to me, little girl, stop coming in here to get your hair straightened. You have beautiful hair. Don't straighten it. Just wash it and let it flow in the blow in the wind. I met him several times and. And got to talk with him at that time, he was Cassius Clay.

[Brooke]

Wow. Yeah, wow. But still was on the kind of black is beautiful, black empowerment, even before he changed his name. Telling you not to straighten your hair.

[Grandma]

Of course.

[Brooke]

Mom, I have the same question for you. Who were your beauty icons growing up? Because you were kind of coming in of age in like the start of the disco era.

[Jerry]

But, you know, I don't. There was really no one that I looked at that said that I wanted to emulate. So other than my mom, I mean, I definitely inherited my sense of style from my mom.

[Brooke]

Yes, I would agree. But back to kind of growing up in the 70s. Were you attracted to that? Like, glamorous? Like when I think of the. When I think of Soul Train and when I think of all of the

[Jerry]

images of that, just like those people. Yes, I was attract. Yes. The makeup, the clothing, the shoes. Yes, I was extra. There was no question. When I went to Spelman, I remember getting full glam, dressed up for class, and people be like, where you going? Said, I'm going to class. Where you going? Yeah, I. I was like, I was all in on fashion. I mean, like the. The whole, like, you know, everything. I had a fringe vest, I had a scarf around my neck. I had bangles up my arm. I had hoop earrings, everything. I was just platform shoes, you know, even.

[Brooke]

And platform shoes, even being five, ten.

[Jerry]

Oh. Oh, yeah. I never got that thing about, you know, only short women wore heels. No, I like them. And I wore them. And I was 5 10. I was probably 6, 2 at the time.

[Grandma]

Spike heels at that time.

[Jerry]

No, these were platforms that I wore.

[Grandma]

You also wore spike heels? Oh, yeah.

[Jerry]

I wore every heel. I wore every heel. And I thought, you know, I like the way they looked. So I wasn't concerned about being so tall.

[Brooke]

So I think both you and grandma are very confident. Grandma, where do you think your sense of confidence comes from?

[Grandma]

My father always told us we were. We were smart and we were very bright, and he complimented us all the time. And of course, my mother thought she had the. The smartest daughters ever, but it came from my parents. My mother was the youngest of about 12 or 13 children, and I had a lot of aunts and uncles, and they cherished us. They did everything for us. And we were surrounded with love and attention. And they love their sister because she was the baby. She was the last child, so we had a lot of attention. And there was always a box coming with goodies and clothes and stuff in it from her siblings.

[Brooke]

Mom, what about you? Where do you think your sense of self confidence came from?

[Grandma]

My mom, the person you're talking to. That's where it came from.

[Brooke]

Well, you are both very busy and accomplished and have done a lot in your life. And I think self care is so important, and it's something that some people don't take the time to take care of themselves. What do you do for your self care when you really want to refuel your tank?

[Jerry]

Brooke? I'm still trying to figure out what that is. I'm not good at that. I go full tilt boogie and I don't take enough time for self care. I need to. My ideal day Is. And this is just such a far fantasy. Sit and just read and just do nothing. And I haven't done that. I'd love to do that.

[Brooke]

You did a little bit of that this summer. I witnessed a little bit. You got through a few books. Yeah, yeah.

[Jerry]

I'm still finishing books from the summer that I didn't finish. You know, but I'd love to do that. I need to learn how to just be still. I haven't learned the art of being still.

[Brooke]

Well, they say for people that are hyper productive, you have to schedule time off and personal time the same way you would schedule a meeting. You know, block your calendar.

[Jerry]

I like that.

[Brooke]

Brooke, from three to five, I'm just

[Jerry]

going to Hopper giving me. Yeah, I'm gonna do that. I gotta schedule time because the day starts early in the morning and ends at night.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Jerry]

And there's no booking for me. I like that. I'm gonna do that.

[Brooke]

And I think for you also, during the week you have work, but on the weekends you like to clean. You like to do things around the house.

[Jerry]

I don't know if I like to clean. No, no. I like a clean house. And when I see things that are out of order. Yes, but you can't just chill. No, I can't.

[Brooke]

Because you'll start cleaning something.

[Grandma]

Right?

[Brooke]

Right. So, yeah, you need to book that. What about you, Grandma? What do you do for time? For just for you?

[Grandma]

I have learned how to chill. I decide the day before that tomorrow I'm doing nothing. I never realized I had chairs that were very comfortable. I never realized how comfortable my bed was. But now I take time for me and I do absolutely nothing. And then sometimes I just make a video of I deserve to do nothing. I have lived long enough to do absolutely nothing and do only what I want to do. And sometimes Jerry, my son, will call and say, what did you do? I say, absolutely nothing.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

And I have done nothing. I have learned how to do that.

[Brooke]

There is an art to doing nothing.

[Grandma]

Oh, yeah? Yeah. There's an art to doing nothing. And I have learned how to do it now for years I couldn't do that.

[Brooke]

When? When did you learn about.

[Grandma]

A couple of years ago.

[Jerry]

Okay. So when I'm 84, I'll be.

[Brooke]

I gotta take that long to learn how to chill.

[Jerry]

And so. Okay.

[Brooke]

Learn how to do it. Well, Grandma, when we last recorded, you had kind of gone through a scare with cancer and you had gotten through chemotherapy. How do you think experiencing that sort of illness has given you a new perspective on life?

[Grandma]

One of the things that stays with me is what my doctor said. Stay positive and always have something planned that you're doing. And I always have something planned. What I'm doing tomorrow, what I'm doing next week. I know now that April 13th, I'm going to a fashion sale that I've been looking forward to for some time, but I always have something on my calendar that's exciting that I really want to do, not an everyday routine.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

So I just. I stay positive and upbeat, and I don't complain about illnesses or anything like that because I know I'm doing what I need to do. I'm taking my meds and I'm taking good care of myself.

[Brooke]

So. Yes. You've also traveled the world. Mom, I'm going to ask you a quick pop quiz. Can you just very quickly rattle off some countries that, you know, Grandma's traveled to?

[Jerry]

Grandma and I, or just Grandma? The Grandma's travel. Grandma's been everywhere. No, that. Everywhere. No, I can't think of a place. Grandma has a continent, a country.

[Brooke]

I'll stop. Okay, you do it. Bali, Japan, China, Africa. Africa, Europe.

[Jerry]

We're talking continents.

[Brooke]

Well, okay. I was trying to. Okay, how about this? Grandma, why don't you name a few of your favorite?

[Jerry]

I'll be here all day. Grandma's been everywhere. That's where I learned my love of travel from Grandma.

[Brooke]

So, Grandma, what do you get from traveling around the world?

[Grandma]

I get to see other cultures, how other people live, and how fortunate I am in where I live and the freedom that I have to live the way I want to live. And it's always inspiring when I come back home to say, wow, I'm really, truly blessed.

[Brooke]

What could you say one of your favorite places you've been to?

[Grandma]

I love South Africa, but having gone to Bali. I love Bali.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

Yeah, I love that. That's just really special.

[Brooke]

Yes, I totally agree. And do you have a goal? Is there any place that you haven't traveled to that you still have on your list?

[Grandma]

I want to go to Argentina, and I planned that for August of the summer, September of 2020. So that's on my list. That's the only place that I can think of that I want to. To go that I haven't been.

[Brooke]

Yes, I would love to go to Argentina. I'm always so interested to see, you know, different fashion and beauty cultures when I travel. Is there a place that you went where you thought that the people were very fashionable in a way that you didn't see here in the US I was Impressed.

[Grandma]

When I was in Paris, I was very impressed with the food and with the fashion. Yes, very impressed.

[Brooke]

They have great taste. So I asked my mom this earlier, but what is great advice you've gotten in terms of like beauty or self care or wellness advice from someone else

[Grandma]

to be careful in what you eat because what you eat is what you are.

[Brooke]

Okay. So don't eat fast food.

[Grandma]

Well, I like fast food. I didn't eat fast food as a youngster growing up.

[Brooke]

Okay.

[Grandma]

Because we didn't, you know, have fast foods and stuff like that. If they had it, I didn't eat it. And I don't eat a lot of fast foods now. In fact, I don't eat a lot.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

I eat until I'm full, if it's a half a sandwich or whatever and I stop.

[Brooke]

Yes. And so many people ask, you know, your grandma looks amazing for her age. She has an amazing figure. What are all her secrets? What are all of the things that she does? But a lot of it is just genetic, right?

[Grandma]

Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, a lot of it is genetic.

[Brooke]

Yes. And I mean, you take care of yourself, you rest, you drink a lot of water. But would you say you have any specific beauty secrets?

[Grandma]

You have to get a lot of rest. You really have to get sleep and rest and just be careful what you eat.

[Jerry]

Yep.

[Brooke]

Mom, what about you? People always say your mom looks so great, she's so fit. What are your beauty secrets?

[Jerry]

I drink a lot of water. I mean, staying hydrated is really important. I'm very careful to balance what I eat so that I don't have a lot of fatty foods or, you know, foods that have no nutritional value. I'm really careful about what I eat. And you know, I, I'm constantly in motion. Like I, I walk two times a week, you know, about four and a half miles. And I say walk now because I love getting out in nature as opposed to going into a gym. But you know, I have a weights and a mat that I don't use as much because I just kind of get out and walk.

[Brooke]

Yeah, walking is great exercise if you can find the time to do it. And skincare wise, any favorites?

[Jerry]

Whatever you give me. Brooke is my favorite of the week. So to be honest with you, like, if you say it's good, it's good. I like products with retin a. And I remember thinking, we were talking about this earlier, I thought, oh my God, I saw some wrinkles, like, oh, I think I need to get Botox. And then I didn't. And I'm So happy that I didn't. Because, like, it's like, it's good to have a natural face.

[Brooke]

Absolutely, absolutely. And I think with plastic surgery, I'm convinced that people rather look weird than look old.

[Jerry]

Well, but Botox is in plastic surgeries.

[Brooke]

No, I know, but.

[Jerry]

No, no, I.

[Grandma]

Right, yeah.

[Jerry]

I snatch faces on people my age. Look crazy. Just enjoy. Like I said, be beautiful. Be beautiful at your age. Don't chase what you used to be.

[Brooke]

Yes, I totally agree. Do you have any beauty secrets?

[Jerry]

I guess. You know what, the beauty secret that I learned from my girlfriend Eula is sleep on your back.

[Brooke]

Oh, yes. Let's talk about this.

[Jerry]

Yes. Okay. So I was staying with her in la.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Jerry]

My good girlfriend in la. And I woke up and I had to get something. And I walked into her bedroom and she was laying on her back with her arms crossed. She looked like she was in a casket. It, like freaked me out.

[Brooke]

And I just. Her arms crossed across her chest.

[Jerry]

Crossed across her chest. And I've been a back sleeper, sleeping on my stomach all my life. And I thought, I literally walked up to her, is she dead? And I saw her breathing and I, I said, eula, what are you doing? So I sleep on my back and I read about all this stuff about, you know, sleeping on your face and the blood, you know, circulation. And so now I sleep, I trained myself because I love a good side sleep. Or even on my. But I was pressing my face again. I wake up with sheets face and you know, and now I sleep on my back. So that would be my secret that I learned from my girlfriend Eula.

[Brooke]

Grandma, do you sleep on your side or your. Or your back?

[Grandma]

I sleep on my back mostly. But recently I've been sleeping on my side.

[Brooke]

Yeah, I like sleeping on my side.

[Grandma]

Recently, in fact, I sleep on my left side.

[Brooke]

Yes.

[Grandma]

And you know what?

[Jerry]

I have some good sleep. Okay. My mind is always like racing. I never get sleep. But I read this thing about how to relax yourself to go to bed. Because unlike your dad, whose head hits the pillow and he's out, I'm like thinking, but they say you take five deep breaths. Five deep breaths. That you don't have alcohol. Anything less than two hours before you're going to go to sleep. So you have to have that and to take a shower one to two hours before you go to bed. And that settles you down. And obviously not no electronics.

[Brooke]

Tv.

[Grandma]

Yeah.

[Brooke]

No screens.

[Jerry]

No screens and just relax like that.

[Brooke]

Yeah, the no screens is the hardest part for me. I can be up, scrolling way past My bedtime.

[Jerry]

It's kind of what you do, Brooke.

[Brooke]

I know, I know. And that's kind of like I justify it. I'm like, I need to know what's happening, but I also, like, don't need to all the time. Okay, final question, which, you guys know this question because you've been on the show before, but it is, when do you feel most beautiful?

[Jerry]

You know, I'm glad you asked that because I hear your guests say, oh, when I get out of the shower, when I'm outside, when I have no makeup, when I'm just standing there, I'm like, okay, you know what? I feel most beautiful when I look beautiful. I'm like, your hair. Nails done, hair done, everything did. That's when I feel most beautiful. I'm just keeping it real.

[Brooke]

I agree.

[Grandma]

I feel beautiful when I am beautiful, when I'm beautifully dressed. Right. Right. Dress to the nine.

[Jerry]

And I think that people. I shouldn't say I think people do feel beautiful. But for me, like, if I look in the mirror when I first wake up or when I'm like, just like, rough, it ain't beautiful.

[Grandma]

No, I agree.

[Brooke]

Okay. I appreciate your honesty. Thank you guys both so much for coming on for this special Mother's Day edition of Naked Beauty. I appreciate you guys.

[Grandma]

Thank you.

[Jerry]

We love you. We love you, Brooke.

[Grandma]

Proud of my great grandson and proud of you, Brooke.

[Brooke]

Thank you, grandma. Love you guys both.

[Grandma]

Love you too.

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[Brooke]

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[Grandma]

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[Jerry]

You called that a knock knock joke?

[Brooke]

This isn't a joke. Boost mobile really sends experts to deliver and set up your phone at home or work.

[Jerry]

Okay. It's just that when people say knock knock, there's usually a joke to go with it.

[Brooke]

Like I said, this isn't a joke.

[Jerry]

So the knock knock was just you knocking?

[Brooke]

Yeah, that's how doors work.

[Jerry]

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