“The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads.” Then one day, the sugar plum fairy went to jail. Not exactly the fairytale ending Lauren Anderson was looking for when she broke barriers to become the first African American principal dancer at Houston Ballet. But it is her truth, and it was her answer when I asked her to share a story about when she felt like “the other”. It was a painful, public wakeup call that she now uses to help others learn from her experience, and help herself re-create the ending she deserves.