Activist Tamika Mallory was guest on Red Table Talk with Jada Pinkett Smith, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, and Willow Smith where they held a conversation about what it means to be a Black woman in America. During the conversation Mallory admitted that she once battled drug addiction.

Mallory is know for her work in the Black community and the liberation of Black people. On the episode that aired on May 10, titled “The Invisible Black Woman,” Mallory discussed what she’s dealt with in her line of work and the measures she’s taken to cope.  Mallory said people might not understand how someone who speaks in front of people how they could feel invisible.

“So, people are like you can’t be invisible. We can’t miss you. You’re always there. We can’t miss you. You’re always there. But my feelings are not always valued. My opinion of things, I’m constantly having to raise my temperature in order for people to know that I know what I’m talking about,” she said. “It’s been difficult for so long to feel like I’ve been ignored. When I was with the women’s march, I experienced that.”

During her time working with the Women’s March on Washington Mallory was the only black co-chair. The experience left the activist question her purpose with the group.

Mallory expressed that she was so overwhelmed and started taking pills to manage. “I’m getting beat up left and right. It was just too much to think about, so I started taking Xanax, taking whatever you could do to sleep. That sleep is an issue when you’re stressed — not being able to rest. Any pill that somebody would give me that had the ability to make you calm down and to deal with anxiety, I wanted it,” she revealed. “I got addicted.”

Mallory explained that the road to rehabilitation was difficult and to get treatment for PTSD, citing that the root of her issues went far past her drug addiction.  Mallory said her process was all “tearing down and building me all back up.” The 40-year-old hasn’t let that moment define her, saying, “Look at me.. I’m still cute.”

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