My mom claimed I was too young to be watching this show, but sneaking around and watching it while she wasn't around was half the fun. Seeing 4 successful Black women thriving in their friendships, careers and love lives gave me a hopeful glimpse into what life as an independent Black woman could be like. I also saw so much of myself in Toni Childs-Garrett played by Jill Marie Jones. Through watching her character deal with colorism on the show, I felt understood. Seeing Toni face the struggles of being a dark-skin woman and come out on top gave me a boost of confidence to do the same.