Susan L. Taylor - A Real Life Diva

Amazing.  Susan L. Tayor is simply amazing.  I had the honor and privilege of interviewing Ms. Taylor for the inaugural episode of the third season of my series, Real Life Divas.  Airing on BET J and BET, Real Life Divas profiles prominent women of color who have impacted the world artistically, socially and/or culturally.  In the past, we've profiled Vivica A. Fox, Mo'Nique, Patti Labelle and Chaka Kahn.  This season, we will feature profiles of Naomi Campbell, Jill Scott, CeCe Winans, MC Lyte, Sony Music executive Lisa Ellis and the incomparable Susan L. Taylor.

I sat down with Ms. Taylor in her beautiful penthouse apartment in New York to talk about her career, her family and her spirit.  I was exhausted following a week of little to no sleep and lots of work.  But when Ms. Taylor invited me in her home, her magic and energy quickly awakened me.  As I sat and waited for the crew to arrive, Ms. Taylor continued preparing for her day.  She was everything you expect her to be -- ethereal, warm...majestic.  I was both excited and nervous to interview this wonderful icon of beauty, publishing and spiritual well-being.

When we finally sat down for the interview, she did not disappoint me.  At once, Susan Taylor is so lofty in her awareness and yet, extremely accessible in her approach.  She spoke of the difficulties she encountered in her career, as a mother and twice as a wife.  She is direct and candid about her personal shortcomings while all the time remaining triumphant about her growth.  She speaks with such eloquence and grace that I wanted to sit at her feet and have her stroke my head while I sopped up all of the knowledge and truth she was laying on my young mind.  Indeed, you feel young around Susan Taylor regardless of your age.

Her resume speaks volumes about her ambition, work ethic and commitment to excellence.    A fourth-generation entrepreneur, Taylor was the founder of her own company, Nequai Cosmetics, before becoming Essence's fashion and beauty editor and, in 1981, its editor-in-chief.  She is the author of three books, including In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor and Lessons in Living and Confirmation: The Spiritual Wisdom That Has Shaped Our Lives, the latter co-authored with her husband, Khephra Burns. 

In 1999 Taylor became the first African American woman to receive The Henry Johnson Fisher Award from the Magazine Publishers of America, the magazine industry's highest honor.  In 2002 she was inducted into the American Society of Magazine Editors' Hall of Fame, which celebrates the career-long records of excellence, creativity and impact of a select group of highly influential magazine journalists.  Taylor's visionary leadership was also acknowledged when the NAACP presented her with its first President's Award in 2006.

What the resume and accomplishments cannot tell you is that Susan L. Taylor is authentic.  The resume is a result of that authenticity and not the other way around.  You believe it in your heart that she means what she says and does what she means.  It was a glorious interview that will inspire all.  Susan L. Taylor is certainly a Real Life Diva and we are grateful to kick off this third season with an hour-long tribute. 

Former President Bill Clinton, hip hop mogul and businessman Sean "Diddy" Combs, the Reverend Al Sharpton, author Terry McMillan, and Essence magazine colleagues Angela Burt Murray and Mikki Taylor are just a few celebrity friends that sit with our cameras not only to talk about how Susan L. Taylor has touched their lives as a friend, but how she has also impacted and influenced the lives of many African Americans and women throughout her stellar career.

Real Life Divas airs on Thursdays on BET J at 10:00pm ET/PT/.  Susan L. Taylor kicks off the series on Thursday, May 15, 2008.  The show is executive produced by Sean Joell Johnson, Crystal McCrary Anthony, Nathan Hale Williams and BET J EVP Paxton K. Baker.