SULLIVAN: JOSEFINA SANTOS; TATUM: GARETH CATTERMOLE—GETTY IMAGES
Jazmine
Sullivan
Empathetic entertainer
BY AMBER RILEY
From her first single “Need
U Bad,” Jazmine Sullivan
demonstrated an innate
ability to write songs that
perfectly capture the stories
of so many Black women.
Sullivan has a lyrical vulner-
ability that makes you think
she has been reading your
journal. She is so deserving
of her most recent Grammy
win, along with acclaim and
other accolades that have
been an honor to witness.
But the most exciting part
of her recent career journey
has been that Sullivan has
allowed us to share in her
journey to self-love, remov-
ing herself from the shad-
ows of fear as we can clearly
see in her 2021 album
Heaux Tales. In her speech
during last year’s 2021 Soul
Train Music Awards, she
shared that she had made
a vow to be present and not
to hide away. It is this type of
candor that makes Sullivan
such an inspiration and icon
to so many Black women,
including myself. It has truly
been my pleasure to call
her a friend over the years
and I want to thank her for
being an example of what
happens when you believe
in your gift and trust God’s
calling for your life.
Riley is an actor, singer,
and writer
