Gizelle Bryant Shares Exactly How She Met Jamal Bryant
The RHOP cast member reflects on the early days of her relationship with her ex-husband/current partner.
Gizelle Bryant and Jamal Bryant have history. They married, welcomed three daughters, and eventually went their separate ways. They rekindled their flame and reconciled 12 years later in 2019. But, their paths first crossed many years before that — and those early days together speak to their commitment to social and racial justice.
"Jamal and I met at the NAACP national headquarters. It was one of my first jobs out of school. I was hired by Kweisi Mfume, who is now back in Congress; he took Elijah Cummings’ seat. And he also hired Jamal. So, Jamal and I have been in the trenches of trying to do civil rights and trying to make sure that we leave this world a better place," The Real Housewives of Potomac cast member told The Daily Dish in a phone interview earlier this summer.
She continued that their work as activists is always what has bonded them. They've been vocal in the Black Lives Matter movement, with Gizelle both protesting and using her platform on Bravo to speak on the issues affecting Black people, and Jamal is doing his part to shine a light on the issues within the community, even speaking at George Floyd's funeral earlier this summer.
"He and I have these discussions all the time. Whether, you know, we’re in this whole uproar or not, we’re having these conversations. He has been obviously encouraged as we all are because it seems like we’re not the only ones fighting this fight. We’ve got all kinds of other races that have joined us," she said. "This is a worldwide - - everybody’s eyes worldwide are now open. Which is amazing. And finally, finally it seems like we can stop trying to have to police the police 'cause that’s what we’ve been doing for, I don’t know, ever. We’ve been trying to police them and that’s not what we’re supposed to have to do as citizens and as Americans. I’m very proud, always, of what Jamal does especially in the Black community. He really gives his heart and soul to the community."
Gizelle grew up in the Civil Rights movement; her dad is Civil Rights activist Curtis Graves. And now her three daughters, Adore, Angel and Grace, with Jamal are also actively following in their granddad and parents' footsteps, including speaking up at school when they see injustices taking places, doing charity work to better the community, and protesting against police brutality. Gizelle attended a protest with them back in June. Her kids wanted her to speak at the event, but Gizelle notes this movement is bigger than whatever celebrity she can bring to an event.
"We’re definitely gonna be doing more," she said, later adding, "Enough is enough, inequality, injustice — it’s not about Gizelle. So, I never want to make this about me. I was there, of course, because I went to make my voice known and heard. But I was there actually really for them and so proud of them and wanting to hold up the sign that they made. Because the future is in their hands."
RHOP airs Sundays at 9/8c. Gizelle also addressed their daughters' reaction to their reconciliation on a recent episode of The Daily Dish podcast, below.
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