Talita Long | Nia Long with her mom Talita Long | Source:facebook.com/TalitaGLong | instagram.com/iamnialong
Nia Long's mother darkly joked that they lived in an area in Los Angeles reminiscent of "Boyz N The Hood," the film in which the actress got her big break. Talita Long is a teacher, singer, and fine artist.
Talita Long was born in Brooklyn but spent time in her parent's homeland of Trinidad, greatly influencing her art and expressed her desire to see her art in a museum.
The artist worked long hours to ensure that her daughter, who she raised as a single mother, received the best schooling. The "Best Man" actress appreciates her mother's sacrifices.
Massai Zhivago Dorsey II, Nia Long and Talita Long at Martell Presents: "Discover Noblige" on March 29, 2007. | Source: Getty Images
Talita Long Married Young but Had to Raise Her Daughter as a Single Mom
Trinidad immigrants Clyde Gillman and Pearl Gittens raised their daughters Talita and Brenda in a brownstone on Park Place, Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Clyde was a cutter for fashion designer Geoffrey Beene and a sailor. His daughters took care of him before he passed away in 2000 at 83.
Talita said, "Like all West Indians in America," her mother worked three jobs. Peal had a hair salon, returned to school for her master's, and dabbled in real estate. The matriarch made her children scrapbooks, a favor her daughter returned before her mother passed away at 94 in 2015.
Born in 1948, Talita began her extensive education at a Catholic elementary school. The artist does not have much to say about her marriage at 21, "It didn't last long, but I have a beautiful daughter." After Nia's birth, the artist received a scholarship from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in Manhattan, where she was awarded a BA in Fine Arts.
The artist continued her studies at Howard University in Washington DC and the University of Iowa, where she obtained a MA and MFA.
Nia Lang directed her mother in a music video for the single "Teach Me " in 2010.
Talita was one of the first African American graphic artists at CBS. Between semesters, she worked at the "CBS Evening News " with Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather to support her studies and daughter.
Nia Long's Mother Taught Art as a Talented Creative
Finding a job without a computer in the design industry was hard, and the artist was on welfare for a time. Taking a post at the Adult Education Division at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles was a turning point for Talita, where she met a mentor who encouraged her to get her teaching credentials from UCLA in the mid-80s.
Though it was "very difficult," the single mother enrolled her daughter in a better school district and drove her to auditions. Nia met her best friend Regina King in high school, who introduced her to actress and acting coach Betty Bridges, who also became her manager.
The mother and daughter moved back to Brooklyn after the actress landed a part on the New York City-based soap opera, "Guiding Light."
Talita Long Is Also a Talented Musician with Collaborations with Her Daughter
Nia Lang directed her mother in a music video for the single "Teach Me " in 2010. In the comments, a fan compared Talita to Teena Marie, Deniece Williams, and Minnie Riperton; she praised the singer for how free she comes across.
She also performs soulful numbers like "My Funny Valentine" in jazz clubs with her band Synergy. Her work with producer Malvin Dino Vice got her on the ballot for the 2015 Grammys in three categories.
Talita illustrated a children's book by her mother and sister about a boy caught in a storm in Barbados. The "NCIS: Los Angeles" actress has shared the art of her "amazing mommy " with her Instagram following of over 4 million, encouraging them to DM her if they want to purchase an original.
Talita is "Ta-tee" to Nia's sons Massai Zhivago Dorsey II and Kez Sunday Udoka. The actress posted in 2018: "Thank you, mommy, for all the sacrifices you make every day to keep this family functioning and whole."
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