- 5/24/2025
Actress, producer and director, Terri J. Vaughn, chats with Sharí Nycole at the EXCELERATEHer Summit about her new Netflix series, “She The People,” and how the hit show is a bright spot in her 30-year Hollywood career.
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00:00I've been in this business for 30 years.
00:03I've been pitching and trying to create my own show for 20 years.
00:10Everybody grab that.
00:12That's two decades.
00:13For those of you who want a show, you write out your deck,
00:16you write your script out today and you want the show next week.
00:20Now is when it's supposed to be.
00:23And there are moments along the journey where,
00:26you know, because I'm always trying to like breathe, enjoy the journey.
00:30Yeah.
00:31Enjoy the journey, even in the midst of it all.
00:33Yeah.
00:33Enjoy the journey.
00:35So there's moments where you do enjoy it.
00:37And then there's so many moments in this business where it's devastating.
00:43Yes.
00:44It's harsh.
00:45It's hard.
00:46It feels lonely and it's devastating.
00:49So, but now is the time that it's supposed to be.
00:53Yeah.
00:53I am looking forward to being the next Lieutenant Governor of our great state, Mississippi.
01:04I hate this politics shit.
01:07Mama, have you been smoking weed?
01:09I chew it.
01:09That's the best way to do it.
01:12What's going on Essence fam?
01:14It's your girl Cherie Nicole still here at the Accelerate Her Summit Conference.
01:19And I've got Terri J. Vaughn with me and she is literally a jack of all trades.
01:23And I was just calling her a seasoned staple in this industry before the camera started rolling.
01:28And Terri, it's been a lot of buzz around you the last 48 hours because of a huge announcement that went down while you were here.
01:35While I was here.
01:36She, the people is coming.
01:38Yes, it is.
01:39Yes, it is.
01:40I'm so, just no word.
01:42I'm so thankful.
01:44I'm so grateful, thankful, excited, just full of joy.
01:49Yeah.
01:50Yeah.
01:51You know, you work your butt off for something for so many years.
01:55Hmm.
01:56And it's, and it has come out, just to be honest, exactly how I envisioned it too.
02:05Wow.
02:06And this is a project that I've had for about six years or so.
02:11And timing is everything.
02:12And God knows so much more than we do.
02:15Because all those years I was like, why God?
02:17Why hasn't it?
02:17Why?
02:18Why?
02:18Why hasn't it happened?
02:19It's such a good show.
02:21Why don't people want it?
02:22Why?
02:22Why?
02:22Why?
02:24Because it wasn't time.
02:26And now it's, it's, it's so time.
02:30It's time.
02:30It's time.
02:31It's time.
02:32Terri, I, I'm a comment watcher.
02:34I go in the comments and it's interesting.
02:36You talk about just how much you've sown into this industry, because that's what I've been
02:41seeing in the comments.
02:42People are congratulating you, celebrating this.
02:44They're like, we're so happy for you.
02:46You've been in this for doing this for a long time.
02:48What, what does it mean for you?
02:50And I ask you this because one of the main veins of the conversations I've been having
02:53this last couple of days is community.
02:55You know, what does it mean for you to be embraced like you are by the creative collective
03:00that you have in?
03:02It really feels good.
03:04Because, you know, sometimes you feel like you're in a bubble.
03:08Yeah.
03:08You feel like you're, you're alone.
03:09You're fighting this fight alone.
03:10And I know I have several peers that I admire and I'm a full cheerleader.
03:15Full.
03:16Yes, you are.
03:16Every, I, yes, you are.
03:17Totally a cheerleader.
03:19And I'll never stop doing that no matter what, because that's how God made me.
03:24And there have been times when I've been like, okay, well, I'm going to stop cheering everybody.
03:30I don't hear nobody cheering me.
03:32You know, but it ain't even about that.
03:34Yeah.
03:34And then, and then you don't know.
03:36It's like, I'm living in this bubble thinking one thing.
03:41Yeah.
03:41And then this comes out today.
03:43And like you said, it's so much love being poured back.
03:46And I'm like, oh, I didn't even think they were paying attention.
03:48Where were y'all?
03:49When I thought that nobody was looking and giving me some claps and some hugs.
03:53So, but I think we all kind of feel that way.
03:55Absolutely.
03:56Because, you know, we are focused.
03:58Yeah.
03:58We're really grinding it out.
04:01We're doing stuff that we love.
04:02It's not an easy business.
04:04And we just keep going, keep going, keep going.
04:07Because if you don't keep going, then you don't get this opportunity.
04:10Absolutely.
04:11Because it will just stop.
04:13If you stop, it'll stop.
04:14Absolutely.
04:15And so, yeah, 20 years in of pitching my own show.
04:19I've been in this business for 30 years.
04:20I've been pitching and trying to create my own show for 20 years.
04:29I've got everybody grab that.
04:31That's two decades.
04:32For those of you who want a show, you write out your deck, you write your script out.
04:36Yeah.
04:37Today, and you want the show next week.
04:39Yeah.
04:3920 years.
04:40Yeah.
04:41Yeah.
04:41Yeah.
04:44And the 20 years in,
04:47And now is when it's supposed to be.
04:51Like, and there are moments along the journey where, you know, because I'm always trying
04:56to like breathe, enjoy the journey.
04:59Yeah.
05:00Enjoy the journey, even in the midst of it all.
05:02Yeah.
05:02Enjoy the journey.
05:03So there's moments where you do enjoy it.
05:06And then there's so many moments in this business where it's devastating.
05:12Yes.
05:12It's harsh, it's hard, it feels lonely, and it's devastating.
05:17So, but.
05:19But God.
05:20But God.
05:23Now is the time that it's supposed to be.
05:25Yeah.
05:26You know, it's supposed to happen now, and it feels amazing.
05:29It's interesting.
05:30You talk about the ebbs and flows, and over the course of your career, let's stick with
05:33his 20 years, and now this news comes out this week.
05:37Is there one thing that's come to light for you about that journey, now that you're seeing
05:44your creation blossom and bloom as it has, that you didn't necessarily consider before
05:50this accomplishment?
05:51In all honesty, I felt like, like I've always obviously believed that I could have my own
06:00show.
06:00I've always believed that.
06:02So that's why I've never stopped trying.
06:03Yeah, yeah, yeah.
06:04Because I really did believe that.
06:05But when I sold this show to Tyler Perry, and when did we sell it?
06:16Like, it's been a year, two years.
06:17It happened fast.
06:18Once it happened, it happened fast.
06:21I really felt, like, I felt the shift in me when, so for this particular project, which
06:29I was inspired to do this project about six years ago, and when it first came to me, and
06:37I tried to share it and pitch it with people, people were like, I don't want to, they don't
06:41want to touch a political, a show about politics, a political show.
06:44I was like, it's a funny show.
06:45Right.
06:45It's a political satire.
06:46We'll have fun.
06:47Ha, ha, ha.
06:48But I truly believe it.
06:50I didn't believe enough.
06:52Like, I believed I could have my own show, but there was also a part of me that did not
07:00believe enough that I should be chosen to be the one, maybe, or that I was on the same
07:09caliber of, like, a Kerry Washington or even Issa Rae.
07:13And I didn't realize, I didn't believe, I believed, but not enough.
07:18Like, it gotta be, like, dead on enough.
07:22Yeah.
07:23And with this project, when we went on strike in 2023, I had had this project already, but
07:33we were all on strike, and I was like, you know what?
07:36This is the perfect time.
07:37Let me get back focused on this show that I have set aside.
07:41I called my writing partner, who I had met, like, a couple of years before and told her
07:47about it.
07:48So when we vibed, and I loved her, her name is Naya Palmer.
07:51And I called her.
07:52I was like, I know we're on strike, but would you be willing to write, like, the 15-page
07:57proof of concept, if I could get together a team and we shoot a proof of concept while
08:02we're on strike, so when the strike is over, we'll have something that we could show people
08:07instead of trying to pitch it?
08:08Because I've been pitching for 20 years.
08:11And I haven't sold anything yet.
08:13I've gotten close a bunch of times, but, so, and she was like, hell yeah, let's do it.
08:18So that's what we did.
08:20She wrote the same.
08:21When I started putting together the team to shoot this two-day proof of concept that
08:28we were going to shoot, I thought because of the topic of our show, it was important to
08:34find a voice to join me on the team as a producer that would make sense.
08:42I was in Atlanta.
08:44I live in Atlanta.
08:45Kisha lands the bottom, makes sense all day.
08:47Real easy.
08:49In the political space.
08:50Absolutely.
08:51And so I called her and I was like, I have this show idea I want to run by you.
08:55You know, would you meet with me?
08:58And she was like, yeah.
08:59So we met and I told her what the show idea was and she loved it.
09:02And she was like, absolutely, yes.
09:04Let's do it.
09:05So this is me because I was even, I even was worried about calling her like, hey, we don't
09:11talk all the time.
09:12I don't really, I'm that close with her.
09:13I know her and we're cool, but I'm just calling her out the blue.
09:16Should I call her?
09:17And I kept telling her, yes, call her, call her.
09:20But that was me like forcing myself, no, you believed.
09:23Believe, call her.
09:25Believe that she's going to say yes.
09:27Believe that this project is moving forward.
09:29So I had, along this whole process, I kept reminding myself, believe more.
09:34Wow.
09:34Believe more.
09:35Because maybe 10 years ago, I may not have been so bold to call her out the blue.
09:41Yeah.
09:42And so it's that kind of belief.
09:44And so stuff like that kept happening along the journey with this particular show.
09:50And so put all my heart and soul, was able to find an investor because now I got Keisha
09:55Lance Byte producing with me.
09:58So I was able to get the funding to shoot the proof of concept.
10:02We shot it.
10:03It was edited.
10:03And these are all with my peers, my friends.
10:06We're doing this.
10:08Community.
10:08Community.
10:10And so we shot it.
10:11It came out exactly like I wanted it to because I was like, guys, when we shoot, it has to look like it could air on TV.
10:19It can't look like it's a, you know, it's anything less than something you would see on TV.
10:24And we got it right.
10:25And we got it right.
10:26They got it right.
10:27The team got it right.
10:28And so when that strike was over, I had it ready to go.
10:33Ready to go.
10:34It went out into the world.
10:35And we got calls back to back, wanting to meet, wanting to meet, wanting to meet about this show.
10:42And so we're prepping ourselves, me, Nia, and Keisha, we're prepping for these meetings.
10:48When I tell you, from the first meeting, our first meeting was with Tyler's team.
10:53And they offered it right there in the meeting.
10:57We didn't even pitch.
10:58They were pitching why we should go to them.
11:01They were telling us all the reasons why it makes sense for us to go there to do the show.
11:06And every meeting after that was just like that.
11:09Everybody pitched us for our show.
11:14And Tyler was the one.
11:15It just made sense for us.
11:18He made sense.
11:19And I'm so happy.
11:21So happy.
11:21Do you know how inspiring that is?
11:23Because it's so cool how you sew and you do the work and you do the work and you do the work.
11:30And then you get to a place where it's done.
11:33You don't have to do it anymore, even in spaces where it's assumed that you will have to.
11:37Yeah.
11:38If you all don't take anything else from this conversation, you better do the work and keep going.
11:43Yeah.
11:43And believe more, like Terry is saying.
11:45I do want to ask, as we sit at the precipice of a very challenging political climate, even in this country, what can people expect from She the People?
11:55And I know we're going to laugh and have a good time, but the overall of what you want people to walk away with when they experience the show.
12:01So the show idea came to me when my friend, London Breed, became the mayor of San Francisco.
12:08I'm from San Francisco.
12:10And when she became the mayor of San Francisco, she had so much pushback, so many challenges.
12:17First time ever San Francisco had a black female mayor, one of the richest cities in our country.
12:28Yeah.
12:28So it was a big deal.
12:30It was a huge deal.
12:31And watching, knowing her story, knowing her upbringing, very humble beginnings.
12:35We both grew up in different hoods in the city, in San Francisco.
12:39She grew up in Fillmore.
12:41I grew up in Hunters Point.
12:42So I know her upbringing.
12:43She was raised by her grandmother because her mother wasn't able to care for her and her siblings.
12:48So that's her upbringing.
12:51That was her life.
12:52And to watch her come up in this political climate in a city like San Francisco and become the mayor, I was like, that's a character that is juicy.
13:04Yeah.
13:05With all kinds of experiences and challenges.
13:09So I was inspired when that happened.
13:13And I've told her this.
13:14I was like, I'm going to create a show.
13:16It's inspired by your journey.
13:20So we will, we are really talking about all the crazy obstacles and disparities and racism and sexism.
13:33We're talking about all the things.
13:34And our political climate that we've been in for the past couple of years has given us so much material.
13:41So it's on the show.
13:42The material is in the show.
13:45God, I'm like, God, he knows what he's doing all the time.
13:48And when we were shooting, we didn't know that Kamala was going to, well, run for purpose.
13:57None of that was existing when we started doing this.
14:00But all this kept happening.
14:02So we're pulling stories from what's happening as we're working.
14:07So it was just beautiful.
14:11I love the divine timing of this.
14:14Divine.
14:14And as we've talked about your journey and self-discovery even in this conversation, I do want to ask you one word or adjective that describes your makeup.
14:25How God wired you.
14:27How you're made.
14:28One word or adjective.
14:29Oh, wow.
14:30How God made me.
14:31Sensitive.
14:35Sensitive.
14:37You carry the sensitivity with a sense of calmness.
14:40Like, from the moment I met Terry, I was actually very kind of shocked.
14:44Because I've seen the other characters you play on TV and sometimes even relate the character to the person.
14:48So when I met you the first time some years ago, I was like, she's so calm and centered and sweet.
14:54And this industry can be nuts.
14:56Like, let's just be honest.
14:58Like, it can be volatile.
14:59Yeah.
14:59How do you stay grounded in your calm amidst all of the things that encompass this industry?
15:07Especially because you're in front of and behind the camera.
15:10You experience energies on both eyes.
15:12For me, I think it's always just been in perspective.
15:15That my career, my work, I love.
15:18But it is my career, my work.
15:20It's my job.
15:21And I use my job to make a difference, to be a voice, to represent myself, my person, my kids, my husband, my mom, my sister, my grandma.
15:36That's my foundation.
15:37I'm so blessed because I get to really live out fully in both sides of my life.
15:44And I don't want to not have either one.
15:48Yeah.
15:48So my life is very chaotic.
15:51It's very messy and chaotic because I got three kids.
15:55I got a husband.
15:56And I have a wonderful career that I love.
15:59Um, so my time for me, my, my meditation, my prayer, like I have an altar set up in my closet where I pray and meditate every day.
16:14There's something about that closet.
16:15Every day.
16:16Every day.
16:17And it's really important for me.
16:20I have to do that.
16:22Um, and just, just really valuing this.
16:28Yeah.
16:29You know, I love connection.
16:31Yes.
16:32Yeah.
16:32I love sharing.
16:33I love understanding.
16:36So, yeah.
16:36So connection with people and feelings.
16:39And that's why when you ask me, nobody's ever asked me that before, an adjective that describes myself.
16:44So, um, that's why I say I feel like sensitive is one.
16:47Yeah.
16:47And not sensitive like I'm like.
16:50Fragile.
16:51Yeah.
16:51Not that sensitive.
16:53Sensitive and I feel like I feel your energy.
16:56Yeah.
16:57I feel connection.
16:58I feel love.
16:59I feel, and I like to, I like give it.
17:02You give it back.
17:03Yeah.
17:03You give it back.
17:04When I hug you.
17:05You may feel it.
17:06I mean it.
17:07If I'm going to hug you, I'm going to mean it.
17:09Yeah.
17:10Sensitive it that way.
17:11And I think all of that keeps me branded.
17:16Terri, I adore you.
17:18I love you.
17:18You know that.
17:19Thank you for doing this.
17:20I am so, so happy for you.
17:23I cannot wait to support this show.
17:25You guys make sure you support it as well.
17:28Black creatives.
17:29We have to band together.
17:31Yeah.
17:31We talked about a season two.
17:33It happens right now.
17:35So when this releases, make sure you check it out.
17:37May 22nd, Netflix.
17:41We'll see you next time.
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