NEW ORLEANS — Bern Nadette Stanis is doing just fine. The actress, most known for her role of Thelma Evans in the hit 1970s TV series “Good Times,” has a booth at the 2023 Essence Festival of Culture. At the booth, Stanis is talking to fans, posing for photos, selling autographs and most importantly, accepting donations for her foundation.
In 2013, she founded the Remembering The Good Times Foundation, which promotes awareness and education to families who have loved ones affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementia diseases. In 2010, she published the book The Last Night: A Caregiver’s Journey Through Transition and Beyond after being a caregiver for her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. According to The Charlotte Post, Stanis has since partnered with UnitedHealthcare to teach the community about health, living after 65, how to take care of yourself and “keep things moving in the right direction.”
At her Essence Festival of Culture booth, Stanis took a brief moment to speak to rolling out.
What has this year’s Essence Festival of Culture been like for you?
It’s been really great. I’m seeing a lot of my old friends I’ve seen a couple of years ago, and it’s just been wonderful. My audience is just great. They love me and I love them. We’re taking pictures together. We’re having conversations, we’re talking about this foundation of mine, Alzheimer’s, and we’re just having a lot of fun. I just hope y’all can get on down here and have some fun with us.
What is this “Snap for a Cause” initiative you have going on at this booth?
A lot of times, some people just want to take a snapshot of me, they don’t want to take a picture together. So I say, “OK. For that, I’ll pose for them so they can take a good shot, and they just donate to the foundation, whatever they like.”
You’re also currently starring on BET+’s “The Family Business,” correct?
Yes, I’m on the show. I started in season four, and I’ll be in season five also. It’s called “Carl Weber’s The Family Business” and I play the character Nee Nee Duncan.
