I have loved Oprah Winfrey since I was a little girl. And I mean LOVE-LOVE. I rushed home from school to watch her show with my Mom and her beautician clients. The topics of discussion were amazing, but Oprah was the hook that reeled me in. Watching her on television made me aim higher. Sally Jessy Raphael was great and so was Phil Donahue, but watching a black woman on TV everyday shaped my mind in a monumental way. I use to write letters to her and watch the mailbox like a million dollars was on its way, anxiously awaiting her reply.
I never got a personalized letter from her as a child, but I sure did some years later.
A lifetime seemed to have passed by and Auntie O’ as I have always affectionately called her was with me every step of the way and I too was with her with eyes opened wide to keep the tears from spilling out when the last taping of The Oprah Winfrey show aired. FYI, the wide -eye trick didn’t work! I cried like I lost my best friend.
At the end of the show, Oprah shared her email address and mentioned that if a response was received, it would be directly from her. Needless to say, I was on the case!
I was recently divorced during that time and my life felt like the rug was pulled from beneath me. I was very recently divorced and was in another terrible relationship. I sent Oprah an email and went back to crying myself to sleep.
SHE RESPONDED!!!
The first line that I read was “Taura, you win for the longest darn email ever!” I sat straight up and read a letter that would change the trajectory of my life.
There was another interaction some years later that proved to me that I was on the right track. She simply responded to an Instagram post with “I see you” with the little high five emoji’s. God knew just who I needed to lift me out the funk that I was in on that day.
This is really the Cliffnote’ version of my Oprah stories. I wanted to give a little backstory before sharing my beautiful experience as an O Mag insider.
I was perusing Oprah.com, as I do when I saw the application to become an insider. I filled out the application and didn’t obsess over it too much. Nah, to be honest, I checked my email daily to see if they had responded and finally, there it was my acceptance letter.
Before I knew it, I was thrust into this beautiful community of diverse women (and one man) from all walks of life who were so accomplished, funny, kind and supportive and believe me, that’s worth its weight in gold in Los Angeles!
I was in the Oprah Magazine twice during my first year and even got the chance to shoot an advertisement for Clinique with the beautiful Evelyn Smith. While we were in New York, I finally got the chance to meet the Cara Lonergan, the beautiful woman behind the life-changing emails, as well as the rest of the awesome Oprah Magazine staff. That experience has become one of my “happy place” memories.
Shades of Beauty – Taura Stinson – Evelyn Smith
The year went by so fast and you would have thought that I swallowed a canary when I realized that I had to reapply for the next year. I thought I would be an insider forever! I was terrified because I had come to rely on my new community of friends. There I was again, checking my email and when I saw Cara’s name pop into view, I was so happy to serve another year.
Then life happened. It was literally the best of times and the worst of times. I won a Critics Choice Award and was nominated for both a Golden Globe and Academy award. It was a surreal period in my life but BOOM, later in the month, I lost my Aunt Frankie. Then 10-days later, her husband James and 5 weeks later, my Aunt Shug. It was unimaginable, but my incredible family of O Mag Insiders rallied around me and covered me in pure love.
My family had a huge gathering to honor my nominations and when I looked up and saw four O Mag Insiders who had traveled from far and wide, I just couldn’t believe it. I thought that I knew before, but was certain that I had made life-long friends, courtesy of Oprah Magazine. Thank you, Allison Crotwell, Eileen Fruithandler, Que’Ana Morris-Jackson and Lisa Zimmer for just melting my heart.I really appreciate all of you taking the time to come to the event that my sweet Auntie Faye planned so well.
Allison Crotwell, Eileen Fruithandler, Taura Stinson, Que’ana Morris-Jackson and Lisa Zimmer.
Please click the icon below to get to know my fellow amazing O Mag Insiders and feel free to browse the site too. There are awesome giveaways and you can even apply to become an insider your self. I promise you that it will be an O-Mazing experience.
xo
Taura Stinson
