Known for her infectious laughter and the high pitched “Praise Santa,” Seterria is the S in BS on The Fine Print. On the Fine Print, she’s the Whitney to Bryan’s Bobby Brown, so while she seems sweet on the surface, you can never be sure what outrageousness she will bring to the table. Who is this giggling girl who can just as easily cut a man with her sharp tongue? Well, I sat down with her to find out.
“Hey darling!” Seterria greeted me with the words, but her tone said she didn’t trust me. I knew already that she was going to make me work hard for this interview. We didn’t have much time. I was forewarned that she works and goes to school, and so, plans her life almost to the minute. Meeting her in her home worked best for everyone.
The first thing I noticed when Seterria led me to the sitting room was the red sectional couch. I would have expected something quieter and more traditional from her. This let me know that there was a lot more here than meets the eye.
“So, let’s get started. However, don’t ask me about my family or my personal life. Period.” Seterria laid the ground rules and shot straight. She effectively wiped out a third of my planned questions. I asked, “Is there some reason those things are off limits?”
I discovered Seterria has an expressive face that says, “F*ck you and everyone in your household,” even when her words remain professional. “Yes. My father passed away a year ago, my family fell apart, and men are a puzzle that drives me nuts if I think about it for more than 5 minutes. So, don’t ask.”
That only made me want to ask more, but her face dared me. When I called to set up the interview, she’d made it clear that she pays her own bills, so I took that to mean I’d better respect her and her house. In the interests of actually getting an interview complete, I didn’t dig.
As I got into the interview, I discovered a few things pretty quickly. 1) Seterria really does laugh all the time, but it doesn’t always mean something is funny. 2) She puts a lot of thought into everything in her life and takes most things seriously. and 3) No one would know everything she’s been through because she doesn’t wear her problems on her sleeve.
Seterria was born and partially raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Her birth father was absent and her mother worked hard. That was all she would say about her childhood. However, I got the distinct impression that there was more trouble and pain back there that she would not discuss. However, she did say, “I made the choice NOT to be a victim a long time ago. Making that choice was never easy then and it’s not easy today. But I made the choice that I was more important and more significant than any negative events or negative people. That’s the choice I would love to teach young people today how to make for themselves.”
Powerful. Particularly when she grew up never knowing that the life she has today was even a possibility. School was her ticket. Or her “hustle,” as she calls it. “We all have a hustle. That’s something that we can work and “pimp” to get the greater things we want in life.” School was easy for her and she used that and her hustle spirit to make it happen. She went to undergrad and law school on full tuition scholarships. How did she work that out? “I didn’t. It was nothing but God. I always know the path God has for me because, even though I have work to do, he knocks down any perceived obstacles and paves the way.”
What did she want to do before law school? “I wanted to sing. I still do love it. I don’t want to be famous. I just want to sing. I can’t imagine my life without it.” So when did she decide to be a lawyer? “When I was five years old. We didn’t have a lot of money. The only people I knew who had money were lawyers. Probably saw that on TV somewhere because I didn’t know any lawyers. So, I wanted to be a lawyer so we could have money too.” That’s pretty sound logic for a five year old, but after having met Seterria, it doesn’t surprise me.
In law school, Seterria kept her “hustle” spirit alive. She worked pretty much throughout, one summer even working two jobs and taking classes. She took MBA courses to earn a certificate and earned the Advanced Legal Writing Certificate from Mercer Law as well. “I came in wanting to be an entertainment lawyer. That went nowhere. So I searched. I worked a variety of jobs and tried a variety of hats. Ultimately, tax law grabbed me.” Tax law!??!
Turns out, Seterria likes things that are complex. And what’s more complex than the U.S. tax system? Having a path and an ever-thriving hustle, Seterria couldn’t just be a tax lawyer. She wanted to be the best and learn from the best. “I hustled my way to Georgetown University Law Center in D.C. The #2 program in the country. I looked forward to the program, but even more, I looked forward to living in a new city, a whole new environment.”
Listening to Seterria talk about her experiences in D.C., you can tell she and Bryan had a ball there. She even let it slip about one particularly embarrassing night, about which she threatened me if I told anyone. I’m sure Bryan would be all too eager to share, but I wouldn’t dare ask. All I can say is....she didn’t make it.
Fast forward to today and Seterria is still on her journey. Her career has taken so many turns, but her current passion is to help women and children of sexual abuse and sexual violence. “No man, woman, or child is exempt from victimization. None of us is above it. What’s needed is education. We have to educate everyone to prevent future perpetrators and to arm future survivors with the tools to thrive.”
While Seterria feels strongly about victims, she generally feels strongly about respect and human rights. She can rant and rave with the best of them, and The Fine Print gives her the platform to call B.S. on a lot of issues in our society while educating people on the fine print of the law in a way that helps the everyday man.
Closing the interview, I felt like I’d made a new friend--one I wouldn’t dare cross. But a friend nonetheless. Maybe she’s not always understood, perhaps she’s not the more outgoing partner in the B.S. duo, but she certainly brings the balance and the laughter.
You can always catch her on Twitter @SetyB. Remember to check out the The Fine Print of B.S. on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 6pm on www.blogtalkradio.com/thefineprint!
No comments:
Post a Comment