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Actor Tika Sumpter says she tells her daughter, Ella-Loren, that she belongs to both sides of her family and does not have to choose between them. In a PEOPLE interview published August 17, 2024, Sumpter described talking with Ella about race and history in a way that informs her without frightening her.
What Tika Sumpter tells Ella about her identity
Asked about Ella’s questions about being mixed-race, Sumpter said: “I’m just like, ‘You are both,’” and added, “I’m super grateful that she feels like she’s a part of both of us. She doesn’t have to choose at all.” The answer reflects Sumpter’s approach with her own daughter, not a general prescription for every mixed-race family.
The interview also recounts Ella saying she was glad her parents could be together, alluding to a time when laws prevented interracial marriage. The passage does not identify a particular law.
How the family talks about race and history
Sumpter said she and her husband, Nicholas James, are already talking with Ella about race. James borrowed books from the library about Pharaoh and Africa, as well as a book about the civil-rights movement, and the family uses books to discuss history with her. The interview does not give titles or authors.
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Sumpter described balancing honesty with care: “You don’t want to scare her, but you want to inform her in a way that is age-appropriate.” She said the goal is to help Ella learn without overwhelming her.
What Sumpter said about Ella’s generation
Sumpter said she believes children in Ella’s generation are more accepting and loving. That is her personal view; the interview does not present it as a finding supported by demographic research.
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The family and podcast context
Sumpter and James met as co-stars on Tyler Perry’s drama The Haves and the Have Nots. They welcomed Ella in 2016 and married in Cabo San Lucas in 2022, with Ella serving as flower girl.
The 2024 interview also announced the family’s children’s podcast, Adventures of Curiosity Cove, as scheduled to debut September 9, 2024. Sumpter described a segment called “Ella the Curious,” about a girl working through life’s questions with drawings, school, and everyday experiences. That interview announcement does not establish whether the podcast is currently available or what its catalog contains.
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