Ever proud of her heritage, Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph has been fawning over her home island, Jamaica, and sharing about her recent visit after last year’s destructive Hurricane Melissa.
In late March, the 69-year-old posted a video on Instagram of herself casually but fabulously living her best life at Sandals Resorts in Ocho Rios. She sported a green bikini and a matching floral kimono with colorful accents. The video included clips of her gracefully descending steps, strutting down an outdoor pathway, posing for the camera, and shooting viewers a smile and wink.
Her caption said, “I am home in JAMAICA.” She also thanked Sandals Resorts and TODAY show co-hosts Jenna Bush Hagar and Sheinelle Jones. On the latter women’s March 26 morning show hour, Ralph chatted with Bush Hagar and Jones live from Jamaica.
She told them, “Oh my God, I love the [Jamaican] people. I love their resilience. I mean, look at the fact that we have come through one of the most drastic natural disasters ever in the last hurricane, and the way the whole country has come together to help each other. The way other small islands came to the aid of Jamaica. I love our resilience, I love our food — oh, the food is the best.”
What Else Is There To Know About Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Jamaican Roots?
Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, to mother Ivy Ralph, from Jamaica, and father Dr. Stanley Ralph, from North Carolina. She spent her childhood in both Jamaica and Long Island, New York.
The longtime actress became Honorable Sheryl Lee Ralph when, in 2022, she was recognized with the Order of Jamaica. It’s “the nation’s fifth highest honor,” according to the Jamaica Information Service.
Following the honoring ceremony, she said, “I thought it was a feeling of elation when I won the Emmy, but to be conferred with the Order of Jamaica [after] my mother [Ivy Ralph] had been conferred with the Order of Distinction… I feel so proud.”
On Instagram, Ralph shared a picture of the prestigious moment and included “#ThisisWhatBelievingLooksLike” in her caption.
