Trinitee Stokes

Interview by Carol Wright | Photos Courtesy of Carla Rhea and The Stokes Family

We got to chat with actress, author, and history-maker Trinitee Stokes about being the youngest person to be accepted into Emerson College and her role in the hit show Mixed-ish.

• 

• 

You’re making history as the youngest person to be accepted into Emerson College. Has this college application process given you a renewed sense of confidence in yourself?

I have always been a confident person, but making history did give me an extra boost of confidence. My parents have always instilled in me that I can do anything with God and this was an example of it. The funny thing is, I wasn’t even trying to graduate early. My mom has this way of strategizing and this time it was even better than the 4-year high school plan she had written. Plus, with a little help from being on lockdown, I have 29 hours of college credits to transfer. Accomplishing something so great truly has reassured me that I am unstoppable as long as God is leading me. The application process itself was long and tedious. I really had to trust myself and know that all the hard work I had done leading up to this point would pay off. I am so grateful because it paid off in a great way.

As a working actor, was it difficult to make the decision to go to college or was that always part of your plan?

No, it wasn’t a difficult decision at all. Going to college was always a part of my plan, I just didn’t think that it would be this early or fully know how it would be done. Once I saw one of my inspirations, Yara Shahidi, maintain her career and attend college, I was reassured that it could be done. My mother was the first person in her family to obtain a college degree, so I always knew I was going to pursue higher education to continue her legacy. God has blessed me with many gifts, talents, and interests, and I am going after it all. I will still be pursuing my first love, my acting career as well as many other endeavors while attending college. That’s why it was important to me to join a college family that understands this and is committed to making sure all of its students succeed. Emerson College is helping me plan out an awesome college journey.

You will be studying Political Communication and Public Diplomacy, two subjects that seem to tie in well to the activism and philanthropy work you’re involved in. How do you think studying these subjects will help you in the future?

First, let me just say that I absolutely love politics and learning about other countries, and coming up with ways to solve problems. I think that studying these topics will better educate me on the things that I advocate for and even learn new ways to do so. Everything that I stand for, including self-love and literacy, has unfortunately become increasingly political. So, learning how to communicate the issues that we face either in government or in daily life, will better assist me in everything I pursue in my future. I also am committed to solving problems globally, so studying public diplomacy will help to increase and sharpen my knowledge in communicating with governments around the world.

The great thing about college is that you can get involved in numerous areas you’re passionate about. Do you hope to do theatre or any acting clubs while at school?

No, I don’t plan on joining acting or theater clubs while at college because that is a part of my everyday life. I won’t have a lot of time for many clubs, but I do plan to explore the things that I haven’t had a chance to previously. I am interested in environmental clubs, along with professional clubs that promote nonpartisan discussions. However, I would love to direct or write one of the stage plays for the school. 

You have a recurring role on Mixed-ish and season 2 recently ended. Did you have a favorite episode you worked on this season?

That’s a tough question! I would have to say, definitely the Golden Girls episode! Golden Girls is something my mom and I watch weekly. It’s one of our favorite shows and we always talk about which characters we would be! So, when I read that script I was extremely excited. I especially loved portraying Dorothy. She is the wisest character aside from Sophia, and dressing like her was the icing on the cake. Plus, when production played the Golden Girls music and showed a bit of the intro, it really felt like I was in a Golden Girls episode for real. 

During the pandemic you have clearly been keeping yourself busy. How have you also made sure to unwind?

One way that I unwind is by making time each day for myself. Whether it’s baking, doing a facemask, or even painting, I definitely have to get in “me” time. I set aside a couple of hours just for me to do what I please. It is one of my favorite times of the day because I get to just relax and rest my brain for a while. I also play games on zoom with my friends. But now that I am fully vaccinated I am ready to get out and hang with my friends.