Steel Magnolias Celebrates Love, Friendship and the Black Culture

There's nothing better than a good story. Whether the characters are white or black, few things connect on screen better than a universal story that transcends racial lines, class lines and timelines.

That's what I love most about "Steel Magnolias". Both the original and the new Lifetime version starring Queen Latifah, Phylicia Rashad, Alfre Woodard, Jill Scott and a cast of amazing African American actors, including Phylicia's own daughter Condola Rashad.

"Steel Magnolias" is a story of timeless friendships,  mother-daughter relationships, life, love and everything in between. That makes it a classic. Like the original, Lifetime's version features four women close-knit ordinary women living in a small town in Louisiana.  The fact that the movie is updated and infused with African American southern culture makes it must-see TV.

Yes, I cried and cried (yeah, I said it) but I also laughed out loud and had several moments of self-reflection about my mother. And about my own daughter. And about myself.

Lines like, "I would rather have 30 minutes of something wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special" give you something to think about. As does, “I'm not crazy, I've just been in a bad mood for 40 years." --I'm planning on using that one if I have to. 

• My Changing Role In My Daughter's Life
• Steel Magnolias: A Timeless Story With Inspiring Women
• Forming The Unbreakable Mother-Daughter Bonds With My Own Daughter

It’s an amazing ensemble film that pulls the heart strings. And as a black woman, I loved seeing our culture represented in food, family and fun (you'll crack up at everyone doing the Wobble dance at a wedding!) And in the age of so-called reality television mostly portraying black women as drink-throwing, weave snatching brawlers, I'm grateful to Lifetime for showing the REAL us.

Our beauty, our strength, our love, our strong families, our strong marriages and the real everyday struggles that happen to all of us.  

Between the humorous moments, small, everyday events and good-natured quips, on the one hand and the seriousness and heartache that come with life’s unexpected crises, on the other hand, you will be drawn in for the ride.

Through the laughs and tears, the women learn to endure hard times, and thus emerge from their struggles with grace and dignity.

Don't miss the premiere this Sunday on Lifetime at 9/8c.