02x03 - Certainty

[bunniefuu]

It’s just so inspiring to...
Thank you. Is this what this is for?

-Is this what it's for?
-I know what it's for!

Is this what happens on this show?

-ROBIN: Well, you know, bless your heart.
-We knew you were gonna do that.

-ROBIN: Bless your heart.
-Gorgeous, cashmere napkins.

-ROBIN: No, no, no.
-[LAUGHS]

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

[SINGER SCATTING]

ROBIN: Something really special happens
when women connect,

share, dream and inspire each other.

This is Turning the Tables.

[THEME MUSIC CONCLUDES]

The living legend who's here with us.
Can we all give it up?

-Dionne!
-Me?

-Miss Dionne! Yes!
-[HOWLS]

-[LAUGHS]
-[DIONNE LAUGHING]

Well, isn't it nice to get your flowers
when you're still here?

Oh, yes, ma'am, it really is.
You know, it's nice to receive.

Whatever it is.

When people say,
"You are responsible for..."

And, "I did this because of..."
You know, it's... Thank you very much.

-You know, then I did my job.
-Yes! Yaya.

-YAYA: Yes.
-I hear you love the water.

You know, the water is a conductor.
The water...

makes me feel at peace.

If I can see the water,
if I can hear the water,

if I'm living near the water,
I'm just... I'm better. I'm more me.

And so, I've learned to honor that.

-I...
-You gotta meet my son.

-Yeah?
-DIONNE: Yeah.

-Not for that reason.
-[HAYLEY LAUGHING]

-I'm, like... Okay.
-[ALL LAUGHING]

I mean, not for that reason.
No, he's an instructor in deep-sea diving.

-[GASPS] Ooh.
-HAYLEY: Oh, you're kidding.

-YAYA: Oh, wow!
-DIONNE: Yeah.

-How did he get...
-HAYLEY: That's awesome.

-...to do that? What was that about?
-YAYA: Okay.

You know, I haven't a clue.
I... My baby's a...

-[CHUCKLES] Oh, come on!
-[CHUCKLES] They think it, and they do it,

-and that's my mantra.
-Where do they get that from?

-Wow.
-Hayley beat me to it.

-I was just gonna say.
-HAYLEY: Where'd he get that from?

-If you can think it you can do it.
-ROBIN: Yeah!

That's what I've always said to them.

-And... they believe me.
-YAYA: Wow.

Which is a wonderful thing.

-ROBIN: Yeah.
-And they go up,

and do what comes naturally.

-Wow, wow.
-That's really special.

-DIONNE: Yeah, it is.
-That's awesome.

It's such a gift
that you allow your children

to just be who they are,

-and do what they wanna do.
-DIONNE: Absolutely.

And not feel like
there are any limits in life.

-Yeah.
-YAYA: We don't all have that.

-There are no limits.
-YAYA: That's beautiful.

ROBIN: I know sometimes you...

The only limits you have
are the ones you put on yourself.

-That part.
-Preach.

-That is so true.
-It's true.

-But that's true and we find ourselves...
-DIONNE: It is.

...doing that.
It's also finding the energy

and just sometimes,
having to push that pause button.

How have you gone about it, Hayley?

Being able to find that ease
and know that you gotta have that.

Well, I really related
to what Yaya was saying.

-Like, I love water. I'm a fire sign.
-Ooh.

-HAYLEY: So, I need the water.
-Here we go.

-I'm a fire rising.
-HAYLEY: Okay, okay.

-[LAUGHS]
-So, I crave the water!

-Okay, Miss Dionne...
-DIONNE: I have only fire.

-Miss Dionne and I are going like, "Okay."
-What?

-HAYLEY: We're in the ocean over here.
-[LAUGHS]

-DIONNE: Okay.
-HAYLEY: We're somewhere else.

-[LAUGHS]
-But I crave nature.

So, like, recharging my battery
looks like a lot of different things,

but nature is one of them.

Journaling is another,
connecting with people,

having a conversation.

Just someone at the grocery store,

just trying to be
really present with myself,

because I'm very hard on myself,

I'm constantly looking for the next thing
to challenge myself with.

That little voice in my head
is always saying, like,

"Hey, let's do more."

And so, recharging my batteries,
calming that voice in my head,

and going, "You're doing great."

"Let's be present with where you are,
and let's enjoy this moment."

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]

There's that inner voice
challenged with the outside noise.

-Mm-hmm.
-ROBIN: So, how do you find that balance?

It's a practice,
and that's why I call it "a practice."

My spiritual practice is ongoing.

And I'm always reminding myself
to return to stillness, to be quiet.

I love meditation.

I love... You mentioned journaling.
Journaling, you know?

Being able to have conversations
with myself,

and check in, because it's so...
There's so much noise on the outside,

and if we're not consciously,
you know, unlearning certain things

or reprogramming ourselves,
we're just getting programmed

by the rest of the world.

-When we think about...
-ROBIN: Be kind.

...how many years, decades,
it took the world to program us.

Like, no wonder... [CHUCKLES]

...it's gonna take
a little time and effort

to reprogram ourselves
with what we want to align with,

with what we want to align with,

what we want to believe,
who we know we really are,

when we strip all that other stuff away.

DIONNE: Yeah.

It's not just the things
we learn about ourselves,

-but the things we have to unlearn.
-Unlearn.

So, how have you been able
to navigate that,

and just approach things with the ease

-that you bring?
-I... You know, Robin, it's...

I have no problem being me.

I like me.

So... And I don't wanna be anybody else.

I... First of all,
I can't be anybody but who I am.

And that's what I was taught from yea big.

"Be who you be."

And I've been told that
not only by my parents and grandparents...

but my mentors. You know, Lena Horne...

-Hmm.
-Mm-hmm.

-DIONNE: Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Bond.
-Wow.

[SCOFFS] Oh. Diahann Carroll,
Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra.

These people allowed me
to be in the same room with them,

and hear their stories and who they were.

And then they would point at me,
"Who are you?"

And I would always answer, "I'm Dionne."

-[CHUCKLES]
-DIONNE: [CHUCKLING] Yeah. That's who I am

and I'm gonna always be.

-YAYA: Hmm.
-You know, people say,

"Oh, she has no filter.
Where's her filter?"

-What is that? What is a filter?
-YAYA: Hmm.

Why would I wanna have a filter?

There's no reason for it.

You know, if you can't ask me a question

and accept the answer
I'm gonna give you...

YAYA: Mm-hmm.

...why am I gonna try to make it something

-that you wanna hear...
-ROBIN: Hmm.

...as opposed to what you've asked me
to give you an answer to?

You know, I love how you said, "accept,"
because, you know, some people will say,

"Oh, I'll tolerate." Don't tolerate me!

-Do not tolerate me!
-DIONNE: Just admit it.

Accept me. Accept that we are different

-in some ways.
-YAYA: Yeah.

-Accept that this is my view.
-DIONNE: Exactly.

Exactly, like the... When you hear,
Hayley, when you hear Miss Dionne

-talking like that...
-I get emotional.

-I'm, like, very emotional right now.
-ROBIN: Aw.

[QUAVERING] This is because it's so, um...

[SCOFFS] Everyone knows, like,
I cry all the time.

[CHUCKLES] So, I just...

But it's just so powerful
to hear your power and your strength

because so many people really struggle
with loving themselves...

-Yes. It's true.
-...and really, like,

accepting themselves
and talking about, like,

re-centering yourself
and we talked about limits earlier.

And it's, like,
just allowing yourself to be...

-DIONNE: Absolutely.
-...is such a gift.

And that's very hard
for a lot of people to do.

I get emotional because I'm so inspired
by all three of you

and it's just a wonderful space
to be and to, um, acknowledge yourselves

because it's just really hard to do.

But you've done that,

and I was saying this to you.
Very similar, you know, longtime partner.

Everybody who was in my inner circle,
everyone I worked with,

was very familiar with her,
accepted her, loved her.

-But I wasn't ready to tell the world.
-DIONNE: Yeah.

I just wanted something for me...

-YAYA: Yeah.
-...and for her.

And I chose to be in the public eye,

-not Amber.
-Mm-hmm.

And I did when I was very young.
I was in my twenties.

I take my sister out to lunch.

And right when I say
the classic out of the movie, "I'm g*y!"

Server puts down the food.
He doesn't hear what I said.

And he's taking his time doing everything.
By this time, my sister is crying.

And I've just said this to her
and she's crying,

and I'm like, "Oh, my gosh," in my head,
going, "What is she feeling?"

And then he left,
and she immediately said,

"Oh, oh, I'm not crying
because you're g*y,

"I'm crying because you love me enough

-"to tell me." Oh!
-DIONNE: Tell me.

-That is it.
-Bravo.

-I know! And you know what that...
-HAYLEY: Yeah.

-Bravo.
-ROBIN: What that did for me?

-Yes.
-It was an opportunity to, um...

to show up, and for people to understand,
we're in all walks of life.

-DIONNE: Exactly.
-ROBIN: And the way Hayley,

you, for four years,
were in your relationship,

and then you all decided,
"Okay, how do you balance

"the wanting to keep private but also,

"where you are in the public eye,
and having to share."

Or not having to share,
but feeling to share?

Well, it's a really
interesting position to be in,

because I've known I was g*y
since I was five.

I was very open with the public
about being a l*sbian.

And I fell in love with this woman
who was in a different journey,

and a different place in her life.

And I was so excited,
I wanted to share with the world

and we came to the conclusion
of keeping it private.

Not secret, but private.

And it was beautiful because we grew
this incredible relationship

and foundation of just trust...

-Yeah.
-...and strength.

And then this year,
she was ready to let people know,

you know, about our love,
and we shared it with people.

And it was on our terms.

And I don't think relationships
are that black and white.

If someone isn't ready and you love them,
you go on that journey with them.

And you support them in that journey.
And I...

You know,
that was a really beautiful lesson

that I learned in this love
and this relationship

where she was ready to meet me.

And it looked differently
than what I thought

-it was supposed to look like.
-Ooh.

And that was interesting
'cause I've dated a lot of women

that have never been with women before

and I have been in a lot
of toxic relationships.

And so, my trauma was like,
"Oh, she doesn't wanna be out and open,

"then she doesn't love me.
Or she doesn't, she's not..."

You know, "She's ashamed of me
or something like that."

And that wasn't the case at all.

And so, it was really beautiful
to get to experience that,

and know that love can look
and come in many different ways,

especially in someone's journey.
And that was a really cool thing.

Was there anything,
anytime that you were...

concerned about
being your authentic self and what...

However that looked?

Absolutely. I think that in the beginning
of my career as an actor,

you know, I started out acting at 11,

but the world got introduced to me
as a model.

And that was difficult

because it's a place
where conformity is necessary.

So, often times, we had to press my hair,
and I've always had natural hair.

And that, you know,
was not accepted back then.

And so, the interesting thing is
to have all of these things about myself

that I was trying to figure out
where I fit in, or hide,

and then to sit back
and watch the world change...

-DIONNE: Yeah.
-...and evolve and return

to those things becoming
not only acceptable,

-but...
-Yeah, the norm.

-Embraced!
-...celebrated.

-Right.
-Oh, yeah.

And the norm, right? There's a massive
natural hair movement, right?

I never talked about my spirituality
because it was taboo to have grown up

in a home where African spirituality was,
you know, very ancient customs

were the norm.

And now, it's, you know,
everyone's doing this New Age stuff,

people are returning to their roots.

At the end of a prayer, instead of "Amen,"

-everyone says, "Asé..."
-DIONNE: Yeah.

...in certain, like, communities of color,
and I'm, like, "Hold on.

"Where'd y'all come from!

-"Like, I've been here all the time."
-ROBIN: Right.

"I didn't know it was safe!"
So, I learned to keep it hush.

And it's really beautiful
for me now to realize

not only is it safe
to be all of the things...

-DIONNE: Yes.
-...that I've always been...

-DIONNE: Yes.
-...but the world is ready

for these offerings
that have been really bubbling

inside of me that I'm ready to offer.

And you know, people have always said,
"You're ahead of your time,"

but now, I feel like I'm on time.

And it's a really,
really beautiful feeling.

-Right on time.
-And I'm just grateful

for all the brave people who,
you know, kind of were out there

pushing their own interests along,

and making these things normal,
so that I can come on this show

-with my faux locs and it's not like...
-ROBIN: Yeah! Yeah.

"So, when are they doing your hair?"

-You know what I mean?
-[ALL LAUGH]

-I'm, like, "It's done!" [CHUCKLES]
-[ROBIN CHUCKLING]

But these are the questions
that we used to get, you know?

These are the challenges
that we had to face not that long ago.

You know, 15 years ago.

I pose this question to you,
but the way you live your life,

I can't imagine a time
where you weren't your authentic self.

That was good. I was gonna ask her...

No, she came out of the womb and went,

-"I'm here."
-[LAUGHS]

ROBIN: [LAUGHING] I know. Exactly.

"You've been waiting!"

-"I'm here."
-But Dionne.

I saw in an interview.

Somebody asked you about Twitter,

and you said, "Well, you know, at my age,
"I can say whatever I want now."

-And I can.
-YAYA: But then I was, like,

I wanted to know

when did you ever not?
And at what point did you start?

And do you wish
that you had started earlier?

I've been...

My foot has entered my mouth...

-[LAUGHS]
-...several times... [LAUGHS] ...okay?

From yea big, I have never, ever...

felt the need not to tell the truth.

And I was taught that
by my grandfather who was a minister.

And I always referred to Grandpa
as one of the wisest men

that ever walked this earth.
Second only to Jesus, okay?

-ROBIN AND YAYA: Hmm.
-I know that.

But he... You know, he always said to me,
and I remember... [CHUCKLES] ...vividly.

I... I must have been about 14...
Thirteen, 14 years old.

And I told a fib, okay?
And he caught me in it.

He said, "Dionne." I said, "Yes, sir."

He said, "Why'd you tell that fib?"

And I went to flubbing...
[IMITATES FALTERING]

"I don't know."

He said, "I will give you something
I want you to carry with you

"the rest of your life and share it."
I said, "Okay."

He said, "Why tell a lie
when the truth is available?"

DIONNE: Never forgot that.
I have no problem telling the truth.

And, like I said, my foot has entered
my mouth several times.

But when it came out
and the smoke cleared,

I was still standing tall

-because I told the truth.
-YAYA: Hmm.

So, I have never had a problem being me.

Like I said earlier, I like me.

-I really do.
-YAYA: Hmm.

And I don't really...
I don't wanna be anybody but me.

And this was always told to me.

-"Be who you are."
-YAYA: Hmm.

Can't be anybody else. You can't.
You just can't. I don't want to.

And I feel very comfortable
in saying that. I really do. [CHUCKLES]

-ROBIN: I think about how...
-I love that.

...there have been times
when I have been fearful.

-And we all have that fear...
-DIONNE: Yeah.

-...but walked through it, to get...
-Absolutely.

So, I just visualize it,
you know, fear knocking,

and open the door, faith is there,
and fear goes, "Oh, man."

-"All right, all right, I'll go..."
-DIONNE: [CHUCKLING] Yeah, exactly.

And the act of opening the door
is leaning into it.

And once you lean into it,
you let the thing,

whatever it is, know, "I'm the boss."

-DIONNE: No place here.
-YAYA: Right?

-That's how it feels.
-Yeah.

-Exactly, exactly.
-DIONNE: That's right.

But being able to identify the fear,
like, being able to identify,

"This is who I truly am,

"and this is just my fear talking,

-"or this is just my insecurity talking."
-YAYA: Hmm.

It can be really hard to identify, right?

'Cause sometimes,
it's, like, "Oh, is this me?"

-Like, "Is this who I am?"
-YAYA: Yeah.

"Or Is this just my fear overtaking
what I really want to do?"

-And that can be really hard to...
-Yeah.

...really identify.

Once you identify it, I feel like
there's a lot of power and confidence

-that happens and grows and cultivates.
-Yeah, it's true.

But being able to identify it,
it's hard sometimes.

I was just gonna add
that I think language is so important.

So, even hearing you say,
"Identifying my fear."

What if you just said, "Identifying fear"?

-And it's not yours.
-It's not mine.

Yep.

-"I'm noticing fear arise."
-Yeah, own it.

-And act a bit...
-Yeah.

"Okay, it's not mine.
So, let's have a conversation, Fear."

-HAYLEY: Yeah.
-Right? Instead of, "I'm..."

-HAYLEY: Yeah.
-You know...

-HAYLEY: I love that.
-Yeah.

-ROBIN: Yeah?
-Yeah.

I've gotten to the point where...

Because before,
would fear would knock or whatever,

I wouldn't answer the door.
I'd be, like, "You're not there.

"You're not there. I don't feel you.

"I don't acknowledge you."

-And it starts to grow.
-Yeah.

And then... Yeah. And then I realized,
I've got to recognize it like I do

the good emotions that I feel.
And thank the good Lord, the good emotions

-far outweigh those negative ones.
-DIONNE: Far outweigh, yes.

But when they would come,
I would push them aside.

And then I realize,
it's like that nagging little kid,

you know, "Mommy! Mommy!
Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"

And then you go, "What?"
They're, like, "Nothing."

And that's what...

-Yes. Exactly.
-Yes!

ROBIN: That's what's it feels like.
But you get some air.

When I say,
"What do you want, Fear?"

"Oh, you notice me?

-"I don't want anything."
-DIONNE: Yeah, exactly.

-Yeah, "Bye. See ya!"
-Yeah! Bye!

-Oh, okay.
-That's what I thought.

But it's just as you said,
it's just like that acknowledgment of it.

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]

What brings you joy? Just when I say that,

-you're just automatically...
-[CHUCKLES]

-She's, like, "Oh, yes!"
-ROBIN: Oh, wow. [CHUCKLES]

Because the word is now...
It's a good trigger. I just...

I've definitely committed
to joy in my life.

And even, you know...

And the way that we speak, right?

It's like, looking at language,
looking at how to choose the joyful words,

choose the joyful path.

You know, and I don't know,
I just... I feel like it's a choice.

You know, and I noticed growing up
that a lot of people

who were miserable were choosing misery.

And if you can choose that,
then you can also choose the alternative.

And the more we practice doing it,
the easier it is.

And so, even the smallest things
can just bring us delight.

And, yeah, I don't know.

-It's just...
-Like this conversation?

-Yeah. [CHUCKLES]
-Like this conversation

is just so simple and delightful.

-And what about for you?
-Me? Joy?

-I live it. [CHUCKLES]
-ROBIN: Oh!

You know, I do that.
There's so much madness...

without me being a part of it.

-Hmm.
-So, I just...

I don't allow anything like that.

I just don't. I just...

I don't know where it came from
or why it came.

But I will not...

submit to it. I just won't.

-I live joy.
-ROBIN: You do.

-You live joy, and you bring joy.
-You are joy.

-ROBIN: And I do...
-Oh, bless your heart. Thank you, darling.

And I do agree with you,
you don't know where it came from,

because that's your fallback.

I often say, "Optimism is a muscle
that gets stronger with use."

It's like any other thing.
If you wanna get stronger, you use it.

-And you, from, like you said, yea high.
-DIONNE: Yeah.

So, it is your default.

Where for other people,
they haven't had that.

And so, instead of thinking
of all the things

that could go right,
they think of all the things that could...

-DIONNE: Go wrong.
-...go wrong.

-Yeah.
-Well, it's interesting, like, I...

I was thinking
as we were having this conversation,

I've struggled with, like,
depression and all that stuff.

And so, I think that for a lot of people,
it can be hard to identify joy

and find, like, what you were saying,
"I can find joy in little things."

And it's, like,
"Well, what are those things?"

A lot of people if you ask,
"Hey, where do you find joy?"

A lot of people don't know
how to answer that.

Some people are just, like,
"I don't know."

Like, "I don't know what brings me joy."

And so, what I did,
I opened to my notes on my phone,

and I decided to make a list
of any moment I felt joy,

or like, any, like bursts.

So, like, I have a list of,
like, 4:00 p.m. brings me joy.

-It's my favorite time of the day.
-Yeah.

Like, the smell of s'mores. Like, this...

And I just made
a list of things that bring me joy.

And so, if I'm going through something
where I'm not able to reach it,

or choose joy, I'm able to go and go,

"Okay, these are some things I can give
to myself that will bring me comfort,

-"and joy."
-Hmm. Yes.

Because a lot of times
it's hard to just identify that.

-Like, "What do I want?"
-YAYA: Yeah.

"What gives me joy?"

And like, asking yourself that
and then giving it to yourself.

Fresh flowers, that brings me joy.
And a lot of that is just like you said,

this muscle memory and building that,
so, I'm growing that muscle of, like,

"Oh! Oh, yeah, these twinkly lights,

-"this gives me joy."
-ROBIN: Yeah

-Right?
-YAYA: Yeah.

And so, it's a really interesting tool
that I've learned to use,

-that's been helpful.
-YAYA: That is such a good...

-I like that. I love journaling.
-YAYA: Yeah.

It's those little simple things
'cause everybody thinks

that everything has to be macro.

-But it could be micro.
-HAYLEY: Right.

-What you just said, like, four o'clock.
-DIONNE: Yeah.

Yes. It's my favorite time of day!

-I'm not gonna look at 4:00 the same.
-HAYLEY: You did it.

Every time it's four o'clock,

-I'm gonna think of you, Hayley!
-Yeah. Oh, thank you.

I will! I honestly will!
I agree with you, Hayley.

If we can just take the time
to spot what that is

-for each of us.
-Yeah.

-HAYLEY: Yes.
-And it's just something

as minute as that.

When I was listening to you talking
about growing that muscle,

I'm so glad that you brought that in
because it's not easy.

You know, the people that it's easy for
are probably below the age of 13.

You know, and that's something
that I have been reminded,

is to watch children.

You know, we keep talking
about social media.

And I don't know
if you've seen any of these memes

where a kid is crying... [IMITATES SOB]

-...and all of a sudden they try to...
-I know.

It's like a split second,

and all of a sudden, they're laughing.
They're going from extreme despair...

-DIONNE: Yeah.
-...to... [YELLS] ...like, elation.

I'm, like, "What is so funny?"

But it's because that's our setting.

That's our birthright.

That's under the surface at all times.

And then the older we get, the muckier

-the channel to access that is.
-DIONNE: Yeah.

So, what we're doing, like you said,

in that repetition,

in writing those lists
and giving ourselves those things,

is clearing out the muck
so, we can be childlike again.

-Yeah.
-You know?

We've been talking about certainty.
What is it looking at your next?

Whatever is your next?

What is the one thing
that you are certain about?

Certainty is very uncertain,
in the sense of...

What I'm certain of is that I will...

-continue to grow and evolve.
-ROBIN: Hmm.

What I'm certain of in this next...
in my next...

is that I will continue
to liberate myself.

Yeah, I feel like
that's what I'm certain about.

I obviously love myself. I know who I am.

And I am certain that
I will always show up for myself.

I've made that commitment to myself.

But yeah, I think it's interesting,
'cause certainty is...

uh, different for everyone, I guess.
And it works in different ways.

Like, for some people,
they're certain that

"X, Y and Z is gonna work and happen."

And they just know that.
And then for other people...

I think, for me, it's, like,
I'm certain that things will change,

and that I will be shocked
by just the pivots and turns,

-and it'll be the best gift for myself.
-Whoo!

I love that you said that
because I feel certain

that the inner impulse,

and the things
that I'm feeling called to do right now

are not coming from me
but they are actually coming...

Are being downloaded and gifted to me
and sanctioned by the divine,

-and sanctioned by my ancestors.
-Exactly.

And that feels like,
sometimes, a lot of pressure.

So, I'm like,
"I wanna make everyone proud!" [INHALES]

Um...

But it also provides a lot of comfort.

You know, and so, I'm just gonna...
I'm certain with each step.

You know, one foot in front of the other,
that this is bigger than me.

And once I get out of my own way...
[CHUCKLES] ...and it's not about me,

then I'm actually able to execute better.

-So, that's my certainty right now.
-Yeah. That's beautiful.

I am certain
that I don't have all the answers.

-Love that.
-ROBIN: I am certain

that I am going
to fall short in some ways.

But I'm also certain
that I'm gonna learn from them,

-and I'm gonna rise above them.
-I love.

-I love that.
-And I'm not trying to be...

I am certain
that I'm going to figure it out.

-HAYLEY: Yeah.
-DIONNE: Yeah.

-ROBIN: I’m gonna figure it out.
-HAYLEY AND DIONNE: Yeah.

You know, I'm gonna...
It's gonna get messy sometimes.

I'm gonna stumble.
Um, I know my intentions are good.

-YAYA: Yeah.
-I know my intentions are

to be a storyteller,
to provide a platform like this.

So beautiful, dynamic,
creative, different women

can come and have a safe conversation...

-DIONNE: Exactly.
-...where we're not judging one another.

We're not looking at each other,
other than saying,

-"You go, girl." You know?
-Yeah! Sharing information.

ROBIN: Sharing information.

-Absolutely.
-Sharing information, sharing spirit...

-DIONNE: Yeah.
-...and showing this...

I love how it just shows
how we do have more. My mama...

-I'm not gonna do you. I'm not gonna cry.
-[YAYA CHUCKLING]

-Robin.
-But she... I can see her...

swinging her legs off
of her heavenly balcony.

-DIONNE: Yeah.
-I can just see her right now up there

just going... Just loving this.
Loving this. And, um...

proud of her baby girl.

-DIONNE: Yeah.
-And she would say right now,

"Don't cry.
Don't 'cause that's ugly, Robin.

-"Don't do the ugly cry."
-[LAUGHS]

-HAYLEY: I did what?
-ROBIN: "Don't do the ugly cry."

-You can't leave me alone here.
-ROBIN: "No. Don't do the ugly cry."

-This is all about community.
-[CHUCKLES] I know.

But thank you for your truth.

-Yeah.
-ROBIN: Thank you for your truth.

-That's it.
-Thank you.

-Exactly.
-YAYA: Yeah.

-ROBIN: Thank you. Beautiful.
-Well, thank you for allowing us

to share...

-ROBIN: Yeah.
-...the truth.

-Yeah.
-You know, it's, um...

I mean, you feel lighter.

-I know! [LAUGHS]
-DIONNE: [CHUCKLES] Yeah, I do. I do.

[SOFT MUSIC PLAYING]

If you don't follow her
on Twitter, you should.

ROBIN: I'm telling you.

My first... and I called it a "twote..."

[ALL LAUGH]

...was, "Okay, youngsters,
there is a grown-up on now.

-"So, take heed."
-YAYA: Ooh!

[CHUCKLES] And then that kind of
got everybody kind of interested.

"What's she doing on Twitter?"
What am I doing on Twitter?

To make you understand
how to use Twitter.

That's what I'm doing on Twitter.

-ROBIN: You really...
-I need to get on Twitter.

-[CHUCKLES]
-ROBIN: I'm telling you!