Michelle Obama says, to close out Women’s History Month, I wanted to share the story I include in The Light We Carry about one of my favorite comedians, Ali Wong.
Ali is an acerbic, truth-spitting talent who first caught my attention in 2016 when she put out a stand-up special called Baby Cobra on Netflix. Throughout the special, she struts the stage at seven and a half months pregnant, wearing a body-hugging dress and red horn-rimmed glasses, appearing fantastically and almost defiantly female while delivering a raunchy, no-holds-barred monologue about everything from race to motherhood. She manages to be fierce and real all at once. To riveting effect, she shows us her whole self.
What Ali reminds us of is how important it is to remember that our differences are treasures and tools. And even though it isn’t always easy, we’ve got to show up every single day as our authentic selves. Thank you for showing us that, Ali. In the comments, leave a shout-out to someone who inspires you to be your best and let them know how much they mean to you.