Brand Building: From Detroit projects to Hollywood, she inspires readers to embrace their authentic selves.

Loni Love. Emmy Award-winning comedian, actress, and author. The conversation centers around her memoir, I Tried to Change So You Don’t Have To, and offers a rich blend of personal storytelling, cultural insight, and motivational wisdom. 📘 About the Memoir Title: I Tried to Change So You Don’t Have ToTone: Comedic, honest, emotional, and empoweringPurpose: To share Loni’s journey from the Detroit projects to Hollywood, while inspiring readers to embrace their authentic selves. 🌟 Key Themes & Highlights 🏙️ Early Life & Upbringing Grew up in the Brewster Projects in Detroit. Raised by a strong community of Black women, including her mother, babysitter Miss Brooks (a Jehovah’s Witness), and other influential women like her Girl Scout leader and Miss Fever. Emphasizes the importance of the “village” in shaping her values and resilience. 🎓 Education & HBCU Experience Attended Prairie View A&M University (an HBCU), where she joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Credits her college experience and sorority sisters for bailing her out of jail during a pivotal moment in her youth. Studied electrical engineering and later worked at General Motors before transitioning into entertainment. 😂 Humor & Hardship The memoir balances levity with serious topics like racism, wrongful arrest, and self-doubt. Chapter 8, where she’s thrown in jail for trespassing, is highlighted as both hilarious and eye-opening. Each chapter ends with a joke to bring levity to even the darkest moments. 💪 Empowerment & Mentorship Encourages readers to trust themselves and not conform to others’ expectations. Discusses the importance of mentorship and how someone saw potential in her beyond her factory job. Shares how Rushion McDonald personally mentored her during a difficult time in her TV career. 🎭 Career & Creativity Talks about her journey into comedy, acting, and co-hosting The Real. Reflects on her first film role in Soul Plane and the realities of the entertainment industry. Advocates for journaling and documenting personal history, especially for Black voices. 💬 Memorable Quotes “This is a love letter to my fans.” “If you feel hopeless, if you need some inspiration… understand that you are from a strong stock of people.” “We have to share our stories to show them the experiences that we've come through.” #SHMS #STRAW #BESTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.