As a black woman, you are always hustling for your worth – Viola Davis

Viola Davis, an accomplished actress and EGOT winner, reflects on her early career struggles, mental health, beauty and hustling as a Black Woman.

Despite facing challenges as a woman and a black woman in the industry, Viola learned to embrace her true self and make choices aligned with her ideals.

She believes that she no longer needs to hustle for her worth, not because of her longevity or age, but because she recognizes her inherent worthiness.

Viola emphasizes that worth is non-negotiable and that she was born deserving of success. She encourages others to see themselves in the same empowering light.

She recently told PEOPLE ;

addressing Black Women’s hustle to be recognized, self worth, mental health and beauty standards;

What destroyed me was people constantly telling me that I was not beautiful, [You might think] why would you be upset with that?

Because beauty is attached with worth and value.

And I refuse to believe that I’m not worth it just based on a sort of idea and perception of what people think classical beauty is,”

I don’t hustle anymore. And it has nothing to do with my age and how long I’ve been in the business. It’s a realization.

It’s a self-actualization that worth is nothing to be negotiated with. I was born worthy. That’s not on the table. What’s on the table? Maybe you have to see it the way I see it.”

Women are no longer begging for a seat at the table, they’re creating their own. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Kerry Washington, Issa Rae, Michaela Coel, Halle Berry, Keke Palmer,

we can keep going on and on — even Marsai Martin, who is what, 18?

— they’re empowering themselves by understanding that they’re the change that they want to see.”

Viola Davis