Her co-stars from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” are like family to Tatyana Ali.
In an interview with PEOPLE about her brand Baby Yams, which makes handmade baby blankets and donates all proceeds to support Black and Indigenous midwives and doulas, the 45-year-old actress says her fondest memories of the show are laughing with her castmates.
Ali, who played Ashley Banks on the NBC sitcom from 1990 to 1996, recalls how Golden Globe winner Will Smith expanded his dressing room in the final season by tearing down a wall to create a larger, more inviting space.
Tatyana Ali said the cast noticed the new space earlier this year and loved it. As a gift for the final season, Will Smith introduced them to his designer and told them they could work with him to design their own dressing rooms.
The gift included all the furniture and Ali mentioned that she still uses it today. She revealed that she sits on this sofa in her living room and looks at two chairs from the dressing room. Although she has reupholstered the sofa, it remains part of her home furniture.
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Ali explained that the memories are more about feelings than material things.
She said they just had so much fun. It was a great place to grow up. She knows that’s not the case for everyone, especially every child actor. But for her, it was a very supportive environment. They’re like family to her and she loves them.
The ’90s were an exciting time for Ali, who found success with Fresh Prince and pursued her music career. She hopes to see a revival of the upbeat music of that era that she misses.
Ali remembers the happy music of the 90s and wishes it would come back stronger.
Today, she combines her work with her commitment to the health of Black mothers and families. She is thrilled to see her Baby Yam quilts become a reality and calls it a dream come true.
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Ali has been an advocate for Black maternal health for nearly five years, inspired by her experiences giving birth to her children and her past support of organizations that help Black girls.
Ali has partnered with She’s Good, an online health platform for black women.
She explains that given the challenges facing the healthcare system, finding reliable health information is also an issue. Black women often look for answers in a variety of sources, such as parks, social media, or the community.
Ali appreciates that Group Black creates a space that is tailored to her needs and also gives back and supports existing grassroots organizations. She finds this approach very powerful and it fits perfectly with her own values.
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