Equality Keynote with Tracee Ellis Ross and Adam Rippon | Salesforce

This is a seminal Civil Rights 2.0.

What are you doing every single day moment.

This is it.

There is a lot of responsibility with that word activism. Whether you have a voice or not. Either you talk about it or you be about it and you do about it.

I don't care how you fight, fight.

Until your voice is heard.

You have a voice. If you did not have a voice, you wouldn't be here.

When we see something that is not right, not fair, not, we have a moral obligation to speak up and speak out and do something about it. We stand against the hatred. We stand against the violence. Even in the darkest hour, we saw the healing power of love to light a path forward to an age of equality. We made a decision to march in an orderly fashion from Selma to Montgomery. But last year, I had the honor to go back to Selma, and it was my honor to introduce President Barack Obama. So when people tell me nothing have changed, I feel like saying, come and walk in my shoes and I will show you change.

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Chief Equality Officer Tony Proffitt.

Wow. Thank you. Thank you. We have got a delightful treat in store for you today, and I'm not going to preempt that in any way. Just going to frame the conversation a little bit with what's going on in the world. And we're at an inflection point. We are at an inflection point in human history. And anyone who's paying attention, you just know it, right? You feel it. From the unprecedented and worrisome events that are happening in civil society, not just in the US but around the world, to the growing and pervasive effects of technology have on every facet of our existence. And those growing impacts of technology, those we're calling the fourth industrial revolution. You think back to the last 200 years of human history, how much has changed. And that first industrial revolution for humankind finally unleashed the true power of fire. Through the power of the steam engine. And before that point in time, everything, as a civilization that we accomplished, we accomplished through the power of our muscles or through the power of domesticated animals. But in this moment, in this instance, in that age, we began to free our bodies. And then that second wave of technology and the invisible powers of electricity and magnetism that allowed our society to be organized the way that it is and to have urbanization and elevators and lighting and air conditioning and all the things that create the society as we know it today. And then came that third and powerful wave, through the magic of the transistor, miniaturized through Moore's Law, and then lit up by software created by these original programmers, Grace Hopper, for example, the people that began and founded that third industrial revolution. But this next one, this next revolution, and we're at the dawn of it, buckle up, because it's going to change everything. And all of those technologies, machine learning and AI and drones and robotics and CRISPR and gene editing. It's going to redefine every aspect of our existence, from education to what it means to have a job, to every facet of communication and how we communicate and engage with each other. And the question that we are asking ourselves, the question that you all, everyone here in the room, those watching online, should be asking themselves is, are we creating a better world? The world that we're creating for the next generation? Are we creating a better world for this next generation? So here at Salesforce, we frame this around three themes. First, in the fourth industrial Revolution, the first is equal rights. Standing for the equal value of every human life. Every human life in this room, every human life in the city, every human life on the planet, of equal value. And increasingly, these difficult questions about the ethical use of technology in our society and the unintended consequences and that technology not be weaponized. We've all got to ask ourselves those. We certainly here at Salesforce, we're wrestling with these things. We don't have all the answers, but we're committed to getting this right and being a leader. And then finally, in all of our institutions, whether they're corporations, nonprofit government institutions, building a culture of equality. And for us at Salesforce, this notion of a culture of equality is. Is we drive it around the principle of being an ally. And this principle of being an ally is a core lesson that was imprinted on me, really tattooed on me by my middle son. And about four years ago, my son's a senior at college. Today, he gave this button right here. That's that button. And I carry this with me literally all over the world, wherever I go, I have this button. And early days, he took me to the qrc, the career Resource center at his college, gives me this button, says, put this on. And there's something powerful about publicly declaring yourself to be an ally. It's transformative versus secretly saying, well, I'm an ally. But the headwinds come and the crosswinds come, and you can step away if you don't have that public commitment. There's also something important about the notion of being an ally. Declaring yourself to be someone's ally does not mean that you agree. It doesn't mean that you agree on every political issue, every social issue, every lifestyle choice. It's that notion of family. If any of you, you're in a family, and more than one person's in that family, you don't agree on everything, but you stand together as brothers and sisters and siblings in times of crisis and in times of joy and in times of celebration. That's the power of being an ally. And we try to live that out every day here at Salesforce. We're imperfect, but we try. Perfect example. The focus of our alliances are our employee resource groups. And this one, These are the leaders of boldforce, the employee resource group for the blacksa Salesforce. And what I love about this picture is back there in that baseball hat is a person. His name's Charlie Isaacs. He might be in the room. Right. He doesn't identify as black. He's an ally, but he's there. I'm not sure if he's supposed to be in the picture or if he's photo bombing the picture, but there he is. There he is as an ally. And this moment was the MLK march in San Francisco. Now, back in 2017, for the MLK march, we had about 100 people showed up here in San Francisco, most of them black. Then we had a call for allies. And in 2018, 1100 people showed up, most of them not black. The power. The power of alliances and those folks standing with you. So this was January 15th. Now, on January 16th, you show up for work black the next day, and even though you're still underrepresented, you don't feel so alone, because I saw you there, and I saw you there, and you were there with your kids and you brought your dog. And you see all these folks that you know are your allies doesn't mean they agree with you on everybody single issue. But you know that they're there and they're standing with you. It can be super, super powerful. So we had another experience like this just a month later. And this is February 19th in Hyderabad, India, and we have some amazing, amazing trailblazers. I won't call them all out by name. And the trailblazers there in Hyderabad. And one of our employee resource groups is called Outforce, and that's the employee resource group for the LGBTQ folks at Salesforce and their allies. But we did not have an Outforce chapter in India. And so we went on February 19 to stand with our employees and the champions in Hyderabad, to march in pride. Now, those of you who have been deprived here in San Francisco, it Could be a million people, Hyderabad, maybe 500 people. Salesforce participating for the first time, 50 folks. For us, it was powerful, this idea that we're going to stand with the LGBTQ folks in Hyderabad at Salesforce. There's only one problem. Nobody was out, not one person. That's February 19, Hyderabad office, February 20, one person, one brave soul comes out and you think about the tapes that we all play about our identity, and we see ourselves through that lens of our identity and. And living your life, coming into work every day and working not to out yourself and trying to triangulate on what you told someone the last time and the time before and just trying to make sure you do all that calculus and that huge tax and stress and anxiety, and it could be 30, 40, 50% of your mental power. Just try not to out yourself. And in that moment when that person came out, he was free. And so when people ask about the business value of equality, you're surrounded. Whatever endeavor you are involved in, if you're in school, if you're at work, if you're working for a non profit, if you work for a government agency, you're surrounded every day by people playing those tapes. And when they can be free and they can be their authentic self at work, that changes everything. And then in India, September 6, we got some great news. And the Supreme Court of India made this decision that began an important step, a necessary step, a long overdue step for freedom and equality for the LGBTQ community in India. So it was a moment that we celebrated. And so the spirit of Salesforce with our ohana, which includes not just our employees, but our customers and our partners and the communities in the school, is this notion of family. And one of the amazing things about family, one of the most important things about family is building shared memories. And for us, we've got a lot of them. I shared some of them from the MLK march. Some of the most incredible shared memories we have are around pride. And so just going to reminisce for a bit and share with you a little family video of some of the moments of celebrating pride in 2018 around the world with Salesforce.

As human beings, we are all wired for connection. And connection is defined by a deep sense of love. Belonging. Belonging to me means that you never have to hide who you truly are.

Belonging, I would say, is a feeling of being wanted and safe in a community, even if they're full of people that are completely different from you.

Belonging, for me, is being part of community, like friends, family, or company. And to be who I am and feel free to do what I want.

I think everyone deserves to love who they are and be who they want to be. Whether you're at work, whether you're at home, or whether you're walking down the street, you should be accepted for who you are. Everyone deserves to feel like they belong in a community, and Salesforce develops that community for our employees and our friends. No matter who you are, you can find your home here. Being allies is an important step in.

Creating a larger community, and that larger.

Community is how we stay safe, happy, and how we create that sense of belonging that we all need and create as humans.

Regardless of who you're in love with.

You should be able to celebrate that.

And be public about it and not.

Be ashamed or have to hide yourself.

I believe everyone should have the right.

To do what they want, marry who.

They want, be who they want, and if I can, help fight for that, and I definitely want to be an ally. It's all about support, feeling that you're part of something and just helping everyone along. And everybody deserves equality.

There's this saying that says the queers and the LGBT folks are like butterflies when you see them out flitting about.

You know, the environment is healthy. Without friends, without family, without community and allyship, none of us would be as successful as we are. So it's important to think about who needs an ally and to show up and to speak up. We all have a role to play on the path to equality. If we all come together and work together to show up for our LGBTQ community, then that's when we'll start to see real change, and then every person will feel like they belong. The only point of being here is.

If we can all be here.

We really need allies and the support of everyone to make sure that the world is an equal place for all. Every single movement is sparked by someone speaking out, but it gains momentum when allies join the cause. We can never forget the importance of standing with others. That's what's going to take us to equality for all. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome senior editor, Fortune magazine, Ellen McGirt.

Let me take a moment, take you all in. You are all so beautiful to me. Thank you for having me again. You want to meet some of my quality trailblazers? Because I got two for you. I got two for you, and I love them, and I know you do too. Skating champion Adam Rippon won our hearts during his remarkable performance and presence at the 2018 Winter Olympics. His bronze medal win made him the first openly gay US male athlete to win a medal in the Winter Games. We're going to talk about all that. Tracee Ellis Ross has been winning our hearts for a while now. As an actor and model and comedian, director and television host, she became the best friend that we never knew we needed as Joan Clayton in the comedy series Girlfriends. And now she's the doctor. We'd love to love Rainbow Johnson and the comedy series Black Ish. Now, I know they work in very different entertainment fields, but in this one way, as I've come to see, they're extraordinarily alike. They both bring an unmitigated effervescent joy to absolutely everything they do. To their day jobs, to their online feeds, to the way they interact with their fans, but also to the very serious work that they both do to advance the causes of civil rights, justice, equal pay, and equal rights. That spirit and dedication is so rare in this troubled world. It gives me hope and joy for the important work ahead. Their belief in the idea of equality is as inextricably linked in their hearts as they are in ours. So now, without further ado, please join me in welcoming friends Adam Rapon and Tracee Ellis Ross.

Hi. Hi.

Hi.

Woo.

Hey, everybody.

Hello.

There's howls already. Hi, guys.

Aren't they beautiful?

Yeah, they're so beautiful. He's really beautiful. Look at his profile. I die.

Look at her boots.

Look at her.

Oh, this profile?

Yes, that one. We should just sit like this the whole time.

Can we go back to the very beginning? This is the closest thing I ever get to feel like Oprah. So I'm going to ask you about your childhood.

Is that okay?

And not your balance sheet or anything. I usually ask the business executives.

Let's start.

Let's go back to the very beginning. Tracy, if it's ok, I'm going to ask you to go first here. I want to hear all about Christmases with the Ross cousins in Detroit and traveling the world and dancing on stages. And most importantly, how you grew up, helped you become the magnificent spirit you are today. Adam, some questions coming to you next.

Let's see. Well, I was born in Los Angeles, lived there until my mom was moving to New York to do the Wiz. We all went to New York in 79. Yeah. Went to school. Went to school. I know she's okay. Anyway, went to school in New York. Then I actually moved to Paris and then Switzerland and then I moved home and we lived in Connecticut and then 95. Connecticut. No, Paris. And then I went to Brown University. I was very shy Growing up. But my shyness. I know it's funny, but my shyness manifested in a really large personality, which, in essence does the same thing. It keeps people at a distance. I also was always really joyful. My actual real middle name is Tracy. Tracy Joy Silberstein is my name. That's what I was born. That's on my birth certificate. And my mom said I came out joyful. And I think that, honestly, joy has propelled me through my life. I also hold with that the contrast. And I hold a quietness and a sadness as well that I make space for. That's where my art lives, somewhere in between. But I was always a joyful, sort of outspoken young girl. And as I in college, I studied theater and sort of started to find a way to express myself that didn't feel as frightening. And I started to explore the idea of owning and learning who I was and my own experience, my likes, my dislikes, and all of that. And that has kind of taken me into being this woman that I am today. I obviously had a wonderful example and a very strong mother who lived in her lives and lived in her full glory and agency and was choiceful about curating her own life and doing things her own way, outside of the cultural norms.

And.

And so I had that kind of example. And my aunt, as well, is an incredibly strong, extraordinary woman. So my childhood started with those kinds of examples. But I could talk forever, and I'm much older than you. So what about your childhood? Which was what?

Yesterday? It was yesterday.

Amazing. Look what you've done with yourself.

I know, it's crazy. Well, I was born in Scranton until my mom. Thank you. Until my mom did the Wiz. Well played, Adam. Two can play at that. She wasn't in the Wiz.

I die.

Not even in the Scranton version.

I just want you guys to know you're witnessing a new best friend. This is the beginning of it.

Oh, boy. So, yeah, I was born in Scranton at Mercy Hospital, but very similar to you. I was a really shy kid, which is crazy, because now I wear, like, a turtleneck whenever I want.

I'm dying.

I'm trying to tell my story.

You are telling it beautifully.

Thank you.

I'm dying. I love it here.

I know, it's crazy. Both our moms were in the Wiz.

I know. You were turtlenecks.

Yeah. I'm putting it back together. So I was really shy as a kid and really insecure about who I was, But I loved to make people laugh. I loved to entertain people. And, you know, as a Young kid sometimes that got me into a little bit of trouble. Every time I was skating, I always skated in, like, alone, because I. There's not a big booming community in Scranton, so I had to travel. And so when I was 13, that was the first time I moved away from home, and I lived with one of my coaches for about five years.

Wow.

And, you know, I also. I was skating outside of Philadelphia and.

Philly. Thank you.

Sorry.

Thank you.

We have a big Connecticut girl. We were listening to the story.

Connecticut went crazy.

Yeah, Connecticut. We have the Liberty Bell. I know. So I skated out there, and I skated mostly, like, by myself. So every time I'd go to a competition, it was. I always remember, like, I had no friends, and I just remember thinking, like, oh, my God, I really want to have friends when I go to a competition. And I also remember getting older, and I started skating at different rinks that had a lot more skaters. So I started to make friends, and I kind of came out of my shell a little bit. But, like, as a really young gay kid from the middle of nowhere, I still felt really, like, uncomfortable in my own skin. I especially felt uncomfortable because in the skating world, everything that you do is, like, judged. Everything that you do is someone has an opinion on it, of how you can do it better or how it could be different. And there's also this, like, preconceived notion that everybody's already gay anyway.

Interesting.

I didn't expect you to say that.

I'm not helping, but I do. I'm one of six.

You're one of six? Where are you in the lineup?

Number one, baby.

I'm number two. I'm number two.

Cool. Sweet. But, like, in that, I always kind of felt like a big brother, but I still was. Like, I was insecure, and it took me a really long time. It took me to, like, falling to, like, rock bottom within my career, to not care and do things I wanted to do and say things that I wanted to say. It was like, in that rock bottom, which I feel like was missing the Olympic team for the second time in 2014, was when I became the outspoken person who I felt I always was, to be the role model that I wanted to have as a young kid from, like, Clark Summit, Pennsylvania. It was like, in that moment where I gained all of the strength that I needed to have to really accomplish things I wanted to.

And you had been so poor at that point. I just remember going through your stealing apples from the gym and the In N Out burger saga and just And I remember being a young, professional one. I haven't turned out as well as either of you, too, unfortunately.

You're clearly doing well.

And I'm way older. I'm way older.

Don't sell yourself short.

Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations on your honorary degree, by the way. We both went to Brown. I did not get one. You know who got an honorary degree the year I graduated?

No.

Bill Cosby. I know, right? It's, like, ruined now.

Yeah. He did a lot with it.

Yes. I feel better. Yeah, I feel better. Thank you.

You, on the other hand, did a lot with me.

You did.

I really tried hard. That's gonna be on my epitaph. Well, she gave it a shot.

She showed up. That's what's on mine.

Back to you and your struggle. And then I wanted me and my struggle. Enough about me, then. I wanna move on to all kinds of other things, but we could just actually, Whatever you wanna do.

Struggle.

I know. Back to you and your struggle. Because I do think that's an important part of what gives you.

It totally is, because it's. It forced me to do a lot of things that I didn't want to do, like ask for help, say that I couldn't do something. So when I moved to California, I've been in California for six years now. And when I first moved to California, I told my mom I didn't want. I come from a really, like, really humble beginnings. And my mom did everything she could to help me skate. And at this point, I just felt like I can't take that stress of letting my family down if things don't go well. Like, it needs to be my fault or it needs to be something that I can be really proud of, that I was able to do. And I remember when I moved to California, it said, mom, I don't want your help anymore. I want to be able to do this on my own. And of course, my mom fought about it because. Not that she was like, no, I want to give you money. She was like, hey, take this. She felt like it was me, like, cutting her out of my life, which it wasn't. I wanted to be responsible. But that also meant that there were a few times where, like, I needed to decide, like, how I was going to spend my money. And I remember I went to a Bank of America and I opened a checking account with €81 because it was from a trip you had taken, and it was the only money I had. And I said, do you accept euros? Like I was some stray European boy.

Did you Try and do it with an accent.

Will you take these euros?

How do you say. How do you say.

How do you say monies?

You take these monies? Rubles.

Yeah. Look into my eyes. I tried. So I went in and was like, that's all the money I have. So basically, once a week I would buy a family size bag of trail mix. And I realized that I needed to pay for my ice and I needed to pay to go to the gym. Because if I wasn't going to the gym or skating, I wasn't. There was no point to this. So the only gym in Lake Arrowhead, which was a small mountain town where I was living, it was $50 a month. And I was like, how can I get the most bang for my buck? And it was like, I'm gonna take all the Granny Smith apples and all the Tazo tea. So for like the first, like four or five months that I lived in California, the only thing I ate were cashews, M&MS. Apples and tazo tea.

Oh, my God.

And they were amazing.

And you were training.

Yeah, but so thin.

The stomach was concave at the time.

Yeah. I felt awful and was poor, but I looked amazing.

We are not promoting this.

No, no, we're not.

We're not.

No.

Okay. I wanted to make sure he was clear.

No, I'm very much kidding because it was awful. And, you know, there's. It's kind of humiliating, you know, when you go into the gym and you're like, I need to make sure nobody's looking so I can take all the apples, otherwise I won't eat anything. And I'm allergic to apples.

Well, now, were you then or you are now because you ate so many?

No, I was like, I'm always, like, on the verge of throwing up every time I have an apple. It was the only thing I had access to. And I remember going to like, going into like a Ralph's or a Stater Brothers, and I had my, like, limited amount of groceries and I went and, like, swipe my card and they're like, oh, it's not working. I'm like, that's weird. I just was on a trip and I'm like, maybe I. Yeah, you're. I'll come back and like, you go into your bank of America app and it's like, no, girl, you don't have money.

Oh, my God. It's not. You make it really funny, but it's not.

Oh, it's hilarious now.

No, I know it's not. I'm like, yeah, but it is Not. And it sticks. It sticks with you. I know.

It's.

It's.

But it's the. One of the best things that ever.

Happened to me because it brings out.

Well, because I was out the bold to my coaches, who were incredibly supportive because I was living in his basement at the time, where he was like, you pay me when you can, but you have to make your. You have to get yourself out of this. And I'm gonna help you in every way I can, but you're gonna get yourself out of it. And I did.

Yes, you did.

And it was.

Yes, you did.

And then I was on the Wiz.

And now it's Tracy's turn.

Yeah, it's okay. I'm having a very nice time.

I know.

Front row seat, and there's people here. I just. I ordered a drink, like, 20 minutes ago that I was going to open. The waiter will come out and find us one of these days. It sort of feels like we're at a cocktail.

Oh, I was like, what?

Look. I know.

Oh, no. I'm so sorry. There's weights around. Did you. What did you order? I'm sorry. Can I get one?

I want to talk about the F word with you for a second. Feminist. You claim feminism. I know. Nice segue. You claim feminism. It is a scary word for some people. It's a complicated word. It has now become an intersectional conversation in all these interesting ways. Tell me about how you think about your feminism when you first decided that you. You were a feminist.

You know, it's interesting. My activism in general is something that has slowly evolved. I wasn't a Brown University feminist. I think my. I, too, had weird feelings about the word feminism because of all of the connotations that go along with it. I really thought it meant you wore Birkenstocks. I mean, that was the messaging that was out there when I was in college. Do you know what I mean? And I didn't really know the message that was connected to it. What I have discovered as I've gotten older and sort of blossoming into my own womanhood, that I have always been a person who was fighting for equality and for humanity and being an advocate for the vulnerable. Even when that was me, I've always been an outspoken person, and that ability to use my voice naturally transitioned into my advocacy work and my feminist beliefs. I believe that feminism is the desire for all to be equal. It is about believing women. It is about listening to women. It is about access to opportunity and choice. It is about our voices not being muted. It is about supporting other women, leaning into the community of other women and the collective power and force of other women. And in the feminine energy of matrilineal power as opposed to patriarchal power, there is a shared sense of power. That I lean towards and that I thrive in and that I advocate for. I don't know if that answers your question.

It does. It's a beautiful start to a mini segue because you are again with the effervescent joy which has been so beautifully on display today. But you also, both of you, but really exhibit grace and courage when you tackle these big issues. When you walk outside off set wearing black because you want to believe women, which you did, and surround yourself with.

People who are doing it, by the way. Not because I want to believe women. Yes, because I do believe women.

Thank you. That's a good distinction. Because you want to make sure everybody knows.

And I will speak to that moment on Monday. I was on set and I'm not going to lie, I was very nervous. We have majority men on our set. And using my voice, along with that comes a lot of fear, a lot of doubt, a lot of shame that I lean into my community, my collective power of women to find support in that and to lean towards using my voice. And I don't know what other people's experience is, but since I was a little girl, when I see something that's unfair or when I see the truth, something happens in my body and it erupts and I usually cannot help it. I mean, I cannot help it from coming out of my mouth and I usually get a little shaky and I have to say it, you know, And I have. I'm grateful for my education because what I have gained and as I've gotten older, what I have yearned for and longed for is to remain teachable as I continue to listen and gain the language that I did not have growing up, that you can't have when you're growing up, that as you get older, you have a facility with language that allows me to actually express the angst that is inside me, express the truth that I see and say it and know that I am still holding space for myself in a way that I am not perfect. I am a human being. But I am able to use this and use the platform because to me, my opinion is that I love the art that I do. I love acting and I love all that. But sitting in the spotlight, if you're not using it to shine light elsewhere, then what's the frickin point? I just, you know, what's the point? Like, I have. All of us has a voice. All of us have a voice, but some of us have different access.

Right.

You know, there's a different access point that you have. And I feel like it's like, how do you. What is the entrance point? I just heard Deray McKesson speak and he was saying. Yes, and he was saying, you know, how do we access the entrance point with each other? That place that connects us, that allows us to understand each other and bring us into this new place that we're looking at for that we don't yet know. How do we make space for that? With curiosity, compassion, love, joy. And also the revolution of joy. You know, that revolutionary energy that actually is in the alchemy of that when you have that bubble in your belly. I just thought I got really wired up there.

No, I know, right? The way I run into the streets.

Sorry.

No, no, more, more. It reminds me, Adam, I know that the dream is that every out athlete is just an athlete, that this is not a special moment, but it was, it was such a special moment in 2018. We have to mark the moment, even though we with bittersweet regret note that it is still necessary. But suddenly you have access to an international platform and you are beautiful and you are strong and you are winning and you're making friends all over the world. What was it like to have that international platform to say things that you needed to say, like to Mike Pence, for example, and I love you for.

It was an honor and it was a responsibility I had been waiting for my entire life. Just like you said earlier, when you have access, you are given not only the opportunity, but you have the, I feel, responsibility to use it. Otherwise there is no point to it. And I think now, in a day and age where I think, speaking from the point of view of an athlete, before, the only opportunity you had to get to know an athlete was a 1 minute or 30 second, 2 minute fluff piece that they did that was overproduced, that was this and that. That showed them waking up at 6am doing this, doing that, which is part of being an athlete. But now you have the opportunity to see what every athlete does every single day, every single minute. What is their daily routine? Who are they? What do they stand for, what's important to them? How are they going to act with the platform that they have. And I felt like social media was such a powerful thing where it's a chance for me to one engage with people. It's a chance for me to Be funny. But it's also a chance for you to see what am I made of? Why should you listen to me? What do I have to say? Because especially during the time of the Olympics, that's the time when I know that people are going to be listening. And I said, I have one chance. I missed making the Olympic team two times. Before I was 28. My teammates were 17 and 18 years old. I know that in my future, I'm not gonna go to another Olympics. The only other Olympics I'll go to is if Tracee Ellis Ronce wants to come with me. We'll, like, do a package vacation. Yeah, that's the only other time I'll go. I know at 28 years old, this is my last opportunity, for better or for worse.

For that.

For that, maybe. And I don't.

I mean, I wouldn't say no to any of that for you. I say the world is your oyster.

Well, for that moment, I understand that.

Yeah.

And I think, like you said when you said what you thought being a feminist was. Being a feminist, there's a definition of what being a feminist is, and the definition is clear, is that you believe in the equality of, like, both genders. That's the definition.

That's it.

That's what you look like. That doesn't matter what you think. What I think a feminist is. It doesn't matter. Look it up.

By the way, I went and looked it up, too, and I was like, oh.

So simple.

Why is everybody so upset? There's no Birkenstocks anywhere. But I love Birkenstocks. But I want to be clear. Birkenstocks are my favorite shoes. Not today. They're my favorite shoes.

But the definition is very clear of what it is. It doesn't matter what you think. I think, as a gay person, sometimes you feel that you're only capable of being a best friend. I remember growing up and I had a very close friend of mine, and she referred to me as her gay best friend, which. Okay, one, I am gay, and I was her best friend. But for me, it felt like that was all I was allowed to be. And it felt like I was only allowed to be only just everybody's gay best friend. And I remember it was maybe like, six or seven years ago. I had a conversation with her, and I said, I don't care if I'm not your best friend. And I know that I am a gay friend of yours, but I don't want to be your gay best friend if I'm your best friend. Please just call Me, your best friend.

Ah, that's nice.

And. I think sometimes, like, gay men. Well, I can't speak for all gay men, but I know for me specifically, I know that sometimes you're expected to be. You're just the fun, sassy one, which I am.

We have so much in common. That's what people expect of me, too. The fun, sassy one. Yeah. I mean, truly.

But it's true.

You're expected in casting. There's like a.

You know, of what you're supposed to be. What are you expected? And I think that, like I Going to the Olympics, I said it's. I'm allowed and I deserve to be the starring role in what I'm doing.

Yes.

Do you know what's so interesting? I didn't mean to cut you off.

Please, please. Whenever you want.

What's so interesting is I hear you using the exact same language that I have had to use as I create the narrative around who Beau Johnson is. You know, and the fact that when I was nominated three years ago for the Emmy, it had been 32 years since a black woman had been nominated. And you look out across humanity and how many black women are in the lead position in their lives. And I was like, why has it been so long when that's what it is? Like, why am I relegated. Why are we relegated to some other place? And why is it revolutionary for that thing to be happening on television? But I hear so much in the. So much parallel in the experience of what you're.

You're expressing completely. Yeah, I hear so. And when you tell your story, I. Everything you say, I can change a few of the words and my own.

Which.

What happened? I'm beaming like I had anything to do with your greatness or success.

Like, this is our new budding friendship, history of the world.

I. I will. I do want to not amend, but sort of expand on what I said before. In that for me, the only point is to utilize my voice for something larger. I am not saying that it should be that for everyone, because I think.

I agree, too.

I think that there is. There are some people that honestly really shouldn't say anything. I also know that I was raised in a generation where if you didn't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Constructive criticism, not just like, you know, there are ways that you. I long for people to utilize the time of listening and gaining information before using one's voice. And that if that is not your thing, there are all ways. There are different ways for each of us. To be active and to utilize our agency in how we help others. And not everybody. For not not every. Not for. Not every. No. Not everyone should use their voice. You know what I mean? Not everyone should use their voice language.

Some of us should just sit down and eat their food. That's what it is.

Well, or, you know, think about it. Think what you have to say.

Think what you have to say. Or you can give money, or you can give a hug, or you can be nice in your day, or you can show up for somebody in a different way. Not everybody is meant to do that. I'm saying, for me, I really feel like when I have those moments, I really do my research and I try and gather information and then ask myself, where do I stand on this? How do I feel about this? What feels true to.

To me?

Is there a way that I can answer this? And is there a way that I am pushing up against something that I actually need to question, you know? Or have I decided something about somebody that requires some openness and some listening and some big heartedness that I am not reaching for automatically? Do I have a blind spot around this? I really try and ask myself those questions and allow myself the dignity of my own experience and my own humanity while allowing the same of other people and giving people the space to be who they are, be in process, and know that I am not their higher power. I don't know what's right for them. I don't know what's on their path. But at the same time, you can't be hurting somebody else.

Right, right, right, right.

Since you brought up Beau, I was wondering. We talk about work for just a second. Because you are in such a powerful position to shape the narrative of black women, Black professional women, Black women with children, you know, living in a complicated age. How have you been able to shape that character? Like, have you been able to work your way into the writer's room?

I think you have.

I think you have. Tell us everything.

I used my voice. There have been small ways and big ways. I have won some battles and I haven't won others. It has been very important to me from the beginning that although the nature of our show is traditional in that it is told through the eyes of the husband, I have been very clear that in the limited real estate that Beau inhabits on Black ish, that I bring to it her full life and what must be happening off screen. And sometimes that means on set a lot of. But why? Why am I doing that? You really think I have to be cooking again? Why am I carrying laundry right now? Now, there are moments, and I do laundry.

I cook.

You know, there are moments when that is appropriate and it is connected to the story. But I am always aware of the larger perspective and the larger context of what is happening in general on television. I also, by the way, the other part of it is the ways that I sort of stretch and expand the real estate that I'm given, knowing that I am not in every scene. So when I speak up, I want to know that the fullness of who I am is there, but also in the way that I have named the narrative when I am not on the show, the way that I have named who Beau is and the fact that she is not a surviving black woman, but she is a thriving black woman, that she is not just a wife, but she is a doctor. It's not that she's a wife, a doctor, a mother, a friend, a whatever. It's that she is. All of those things that I continue to name those publicly through the language in how I talk about her, I think is part of what etches us in time, in changing and being revolutionary in how we are portrayed on television. Because our show Blackish is we are an American family. And so I am portraying the American wife, or he's portraying the American husband through the beingness and face of a black woman. And so that is the responsibility of that. And also what I want that to be is always on my mind when we are crafting scenes and working.

Well, you're doing a beautiful job. It's a wonderful show. I love every minute of it.

Very proud of it.

And I want to acknowledge the terror of. I can't even think about it without tearing up of thinking that we might lose you with preeclampsia and the way that we were able to talk about the health care issues that black women face.

And then also we did the menopausal. Oh, is that what's on my mind? What happened there? Why can't I think of. Thank you. My God. I was at work at 6 this morning. Morning in Los Angeles. Everything's fine. My Tracy and my Beau. I don't know what's happening right now. Yeah, the postpartum episode as well. So proud of that. And I had never seen that done on television. And I really was so proud of the way they wrote it and the fact that Dre was not the antagonist in that. He was sort of in the X exploration of that right alongside her. He was not the thing I was pushing up against. Right. And I thought that Was very well done.

Adam, I want to. You're at this sort of magical stage of life that I miss for myself, where you have just finished something remarkable and put a bow on this extraordinary time in your life and this great achievement, and you are now a fully realized adult that doesn't have to eat apples anymore if you don't want to. Trying to figure out what you want to do and what you care about and where to use your platform. I wonder if you could just talk a little bit about how you're deciding where you want to put your shoulder next.

We were just talking about this earlier when we met. Yeah, back there. It was really fun.

Yeah. Our first moment when we locked eyes was very special.

I crawled right in her hair.

I sat in his lap.

And I whispered in her ear, and I was like, I'm safe now.

And I said, yes, you are.

You know, To go to the Olympics is like, when you get there and you have the opportunity to skate, it's one of the most terrifying moments of your life. And while I was there, I knew that I wasn't just skating for myself before I had even gotten there. I know that I was there, and everything that I was doing, I had already done everything I had wanted to do within my career. And to see how excited my mom and my coach were for me, I realized that I was doing this for them. Even getting to stand on the Olympic podium. I said, this is amazing, and I'm freezing. And I looked down, and they were even colder than I was. And it was the moment for them, for them to see the flag. I think one of the best things that ever happened to me was even getting to do all of the media and get to talk with so many people and tell a few jokes here and there. I realized that, like, that's what I really loved doing, and that, like, I would be able to find something past skating or find something next that I could be able to continue to do that. But I also knew while I was at the Olympics, with everything going on, especially with Mike Pence, you know, you get a tweet from the vice president, you're like, oh, wasn't expecting that. You know, mixed in with a tweet from Britney Spears. And you're like, okay, there is some ying to this yang. But, you know, yeah, I take the good with the bad, and to. I had a really firm stance on where I felt with meeting Mike Pence, and I still stand. I still am firmly in that stance, that it's a waste of time. I felt to meet with the vice president, Especially before the biggest competition of my life. My job as a US Citizen and a US Athlete was to go to the Olympics and to represent my country to the best of my ability. To do that to the best of my ability. That meant being exactly who I am, represent myself. Because also, to piggyback on what you had said about you do your research. People can smell through the bullshit now. They can smell through it because you have access to so much information. Google it. Like, you can find out anything, and they can find out if you've done your research. And if you haven't done your research, you look like you have egg on your face. If I don't know how to spell a word, I Google it. Do I still spell apart wrong? Yeah, I do. I spell it as one word. Sometimes I'm not perfect. I have to spell out schedule. It's fine.

Schedule, schedule, schedule, schedule.

But, you know, between getting a tweet from the vice president and getting heckled by the Trump family, you realize in that moment, that's when I realized that, like, my skating wasn't for me anymore. I was, like, skating for a lot of other people. And because I had, like, trained so hard and everything I had done, I remember when I came out publicly, my mom was like, don't do it.

Right, right?

And she was like, do. My mom was always like, my number one champion of everything. I said, mom. When I told my mom I was gay, she said, I know. Which, like, I had always thought I was, like, an actress on black ish at that point.

So many parallels.

I know, I know. I'm so white ish, though. But, you know, so my mom's like, yeah, I know. And then I tell my mom that, like, especially after the Sochi game when there was this huge legislation that was pushed by Russia that gay propaganda was illegal. So we as athletes didn't know what that meant. And in this, like, rock bottom of not making the Olympic team, I started doing things that were important. I said, I'm gonna be out. And I made sure I was out and skating really, really well. And so I was out. And after I was out, I won my national title because I didn't want to be, you know, skating bad and be like, hey, well, I'm bad fat, but and gay. So I was like, I want to make sure I'm in a really good place, so I represent that young kid really well. And when I went to the Olympics, I was like, I'm skating for all of these people. So I had the strength from that event to know that, like, I'm not going to let myself down for what I need to do next, whatever that is.

Just the time is just ticking away.

It is.

I'm so sad to be saying goodbye soon, but we have a few more minutes.

I know, I know. I love it up here.

Feel the love and the energy and the excitement and the optimism. So, Adam, I know one of the things that you're very interested in right now are getting out the vote on the election.

Midterms. Midterms. Midterms. Me too. Yeah. Yeah.

Maybe we could talk about the simple things that people can do to make sure that people feel represented and get out there and push past the voter suppression barriers and start voting.

Yeah. Well, I've been working with the dnc, I've been working with mtv, I've been working with Michelle Obama's when we All Vote. It's just, you know, right now is the time, if there ever was a time, you know, 2016 was the time.

And now there's another time.

Yeah. But whoop. I think people need to take a look and they need to take a look inside and be like, because of social media, you're able to see where you stand for and what you're passionate about.

Well, I do think that you are absolutely correct. There is more to it in terms of, especially in the black community around voting. This is an area where I wish I was more informed, but there are real voter suppression things going on, gerrymandering, like, there is a lot happening. So what I would say to everybody, everybody, is don't be afraid to ask questions. Make sure that you are making yourself available to those around you. It can be embarrassing to admit that you are not registered, to admit that you actually don't know how to do something like that, how to get yourself registered. There are a lot of people who cannot vote, which means that your vote really actually does matter. And so I think it's really about taking the shame off of this and allowing space for people to ask the questions that they need to ask, get themselves informed and really access the right kind of information. And I think because so many people are engaged right now, people are available to help. All those social media things where it says, text this number and find out where you're registered, if you're registered, all that kind of stuff, really do that. And I know that social media can be incredibly helpful. It can also encourage a passivity that I encourage on top of that to say, don't allow that. Don't allow a. Like to make you think you're doing something. That is. It's one form of using your voice. But. But there really is action involved here. And I have learned through my life that self esteem comes from esteemable acts. And one of the most esteemable acts that I have ever taken is voting. And then the next phase beyond that is supporting other people in getting registered and getting to the polls.

And you know what? If you aren't ashamed to text postmates that you want McDonald's at 12am don't be ashamed to text Michelle Obama's when we all vote campaign if you're registered.

Yeah.

I only have one last question. Do you feel the love in the room for you two today?

I feel the love. Not for me, just the love. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you for your warmth and your thank you beautiful questions and your thoughtful words. And I don't know that I feel the love for me, but I feel the love, yes. Because that is what's out here. And that can be a thing to propel you into action.

It is a beautiful place to be in the heart of Salesforce country, I will tell you that.

That sounded cute.

It was really nice. And it just. You are, you know, as public figures, you represent us in so many ways. You're our friends in our heads, you know, we think we know you. And to have you be. What happened? What happened?

What happened?

Right. What did you do? Me? I didn't do nothing.

To have you be exactly as joyful and serious and dedicated as we believed that you were is just. It just gives us hope to move ahead. Am I right?

Thank you. We love you.

We love you. Thank you.