PEOPLE OFTEN start tributes to Nichelle Nichols talking about her importance from a social justice point of view. Yes, she was the first Black woman to play a role like Uhura on TV: confident, beautiful and accomplished. But some people are born to be exceptional, regardless of gender, shape or colour, and that was Nichelle. Her legacy is a testament to her essence, not just her place in time.
Nichelle was an artist through and through: what you might call a “triple threat”, though I hate that term. I don’t consider it threatening to master more trades within the art medium. I met her when she was already a legend. What made her great to me was how generous she was with herself. She shared her thoughts, her energy and words of encouragement. She shared her life experiences in the hope that you would find solace and purpose in them. I remember walking the red carpet with her at the BET Awards in 2009, and she was like a mermaid. She wore a beautiful dress, engaged with everybody, and just glided along. The level of presence and confidence that she had was astonishing.