One of our favorites, Sheryl Lee Ralph will release a new book next year, entitled “You Better Love What You See: Living with Joy, Confidence, and Unapologetic Self-Worth.”
A Self-Help book via HarperCollins, being released April 6th, 2027.
Hollywood icon and Emmy Award-winning Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph shares the personal stories that have shaped her and the advice that has guided her throughout her life—helping readers breathe deeper, love stronger, and rise higher.
Sheryl Lee Ralph understands a truth most of us learn the hard way: There are moments in life when you must let your light shine.
Moments when the noise of the world tries to mute your mic and silence your voice, dull your glow, and convince you to forget who you are. She has known those moments intimately—under the bright lights of Broadway and in the quiet hum of hospital rooms, on red carpets and in church pews.
Sheryl has worn crowns and carried a few crosses, but through it all remained her unshakable faith in one simple belief: better must come. No matter how many times life knocks you down, you can rise, you must rise, reclaim yourself, and begin again.
You Better Love What You See isn’t a list of commandments to make you feel guilty, a to-do list, or the play-by-play story of an actor’s life. Filled with boundless empathy and wisdom, it’s a moving guide for anyone who wonders if they’re enough, who wants to lead with love and heal themselves, or who still battles with self-doubt.
Sheryl’s reflections draw from her life as a performer, mother, daughter, wife, sister, and above all a wise, wild woman. She shares stories about remaining determined in the face of defeat, overcoming obstacles when systemic oppression tried to keep her down, and how to find strength in every storm, including:
Experiences from her childhood as the only girl of color in her Catholic school, to being fired from a TV role for not being “Black enough”
Enrolling in the very first coed class at Rutgers University
Bringing down the house with her historic Emmy Award win and acceptance speech
And many more inspiring moments touching on themes such as faith, resilience, choosing joy, and finding purpose
Sheryl’s warm and empowering message is that, bottom line, when you look in the mirror, you better love what you see, because feeling powerful and purposeful won’t come from external accolades or approval—it starts with YOU.
Her strong, authentic voice and magnetic presence are evident on every page—and readers will return to it again and again whenever their light is feeling a little dim.
Sheryl Lee Ralph is one of the most accomplished and influential performers of her generation. An acclaimed stage and screen star whose career spans more than four decades, she made her feature film debut at age twenty opposite Sidney Poitier in Warner Bros.’ A Piece of the Action, which Poitier also directed.
She is widely celebrated for originating the role of Deena Jones in the landmark Broadway musical Dreamgirls, earning Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for Best Actress.
Her extensive body of work includes notable film and television roles in Mistress, To Sleep with Anger, The Distinguished Gentlemen, Sister Act 2, Moesha, and Ray Donovan.
She currently stars in the Peabody Award–winning comedy series Abbott Elementary, and her portrayal of Barbara Howard earned her the 2022 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
She recently received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her distinguished career.
Ralph is also a nationally recognized AIDS activist, and in 1990 she founded The DIVA Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving health outcomes through arts-based programming.
She is the proud mother of two, Etienne and Ivy, and is married to Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes.
She divides her time between Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
UB has spoken to the legendary Sheryl Lee Ralph numerous times, here are some of our favorite quotes!
UrbanBridgez.com What has been a few of your favorite roles?
Sheryl Lee Ralph: You know what, I will always love Moesha! I will always love Moesha because Moesha resonates till this day. I just really, really love that. That fact that we did something that lasted. Moesha is like my television Dreamgirls, because Dreamgirls is something that is going to last forever. I got an email today, saying it was coming to somewhere in Kentucky and to some little theater somewhere else. Where ever I turn now a days I can see that legacy living on and it feels so amazing. I knew it would happen, I knew it!
UrbanBridgez.com: Many people don’t realize you actually have an album and many singles out, what made you put singing on the back-burner to focus on acting?
Sheryl Lee Ralph: Oh my god, I don’t know. People ask me about that all the time and I just don’t know. As much as I love singing, it’s such an effort. It takes time and I’m bad at that. I’m not trying to sing and not have people really listen. If I’m going to sing dog gon it then you’re going to have to listen! Sometimes people sing and people are talking all in the background and I’m like that ain’t me. And when I say it takes effort, it takes effort at least for me. You have to clean up, you have to look great, you gotta do more. You just can’t get up there and sing. You have to give people something they’re not getting for the most part. And a lot of people are not getting a lot of show. Don’t ask me why, but a lot of people don’t put the effort into giving people shows!
UrbanBridgez.com: Can you share with our readers some wise words words from the great Sheryl Lee Ralph? Just some inspiration as we go into this new month.
Sheryl Lee Ralph: Oh, my goodness. I really, truly, as we exit Mental Health Month, the month of May, and enter into June, know how much you matter. Your story, no matter how small or how large, adds to this beautiful picture of now as human beings, human beings of African ancestry.
We matter. We are important, and you have value because trust and believe. If you are not here tomorrow, something will change for someone or a whole lot of people because you mean something. It’s the truth. People don’t realize how important they are in life. They think they’re just passing through. Just being. No, your being matters.
UB ReVisit: Sheryl Lee Ralph Talks Moesha, Divas and Dreamgirls
