Charity Lawson has opened up about starring on The Bachelorette's upcoming twentieth season and what she feels she brings to the role.
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ABC announced Charity -- who was eliminated from Zach Shallcross' The Bachelor season in fourth place after hometown dates -- as the next The Bachelorette star on The Women Tell All special that aired in late March.
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Charity is the fourth woman of color to hold this role and the second monoracial African American woman to be the Bachelorette.
"It's bigger than me... and I'm honored to hold that representation for other people at home that look like me -- little girls and women of color who can look up to me and acknowledge that this is something that's possible for them too," Charity said on the May 11 episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show.
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The women of color who paved the way before Charity were Season 13 star Rachel Lindsay, Season 16 star Tayshia Adams -- who split her season with Clare Crawley -- and Season 18 star Michelle Young.
Charity admitted she's still processing her casting on The Bachelorette's 2023 season as a result.
"I still am. This time last year... I was just graduating and then working [as a child and family therapist] and getting the opportunity to go on Zach's season and be on The Bachelor, and now I'm in my own journey," Charity said.
"So I feel like things just keep getting better. So it's a lot but it's all exciting, and I'm just glad and grateful for all of these good things."
Charity insisted to former American Idol finalist Jennifer Hudson, "I am so ready [for love]. I think I'm even more ready... I'm excited."
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As far as what Charity will bring to the new season, she humbly said she prides herself on being "compassionate" as well as "an active listener" when dating.
"I think I'm very expressive. I wear my heart on my sleeve. I don't mind feeling my emotions, so I think for me, that will be an advantage in a sense that I hope it cultivates a space for the guys to also reciprocate that back to me," Charity explained.
And Charity has high expectations for her future husband! She noted how she has "a whole checklist" of things she's looking for in a man.
"There's a few traits I definitely know that I need after going through past relationships," Charity said.
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Charity listed off a guy who is confident, funny and authentic.
"I want somebody who's sure of what they want and we're not playing games... [and] a sense of humor is really important," Charity shared.
"[And] I want somebody who is himself and [he] doesn't feel a need to put on a facade. I want the true, real you."
Charity also shared how she thinks "clear boundaries" are important in relationships and that a man telling her a white lie early on would be a dealbreaker.
A man who appears to check off all of Charity's boxes is her celebrity crush, actor Michael B. Jordan, whom she said has a "great smile" and "swag" that's attractive to her.
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But at the end of the day, Charity is just looking for a genuine relationship like what her beloved parents have.
Charity's mother and father were next door neighbors growing up and began dating in high school. They tied the knot during their college years and have been married for 47 years.
"The first time I went on the show, they were definitely skeptical. But I think my parents have instilled such good values in me and morals, and they're also trusting in knowing I can make good decisions and will make the right decision," Charity said of her parents feeling a mix of support and concern for her The Bachelorette journey.
"But it comes with its highs and lows and challenges of any parent watching their child be vulnerable on national TV again, but they're excited."
The Bachelorette's 20th season already wrapped filming and spoilers have begun leaking out. The show premieres on Monday, June 26 at 9PM ET/PT on ABC.
The initial The Bachelorette cast for Season 20 comprised of only 29 potential suitors was announced in late March, right before Charity began filming her season, but ABC has yet to formally announce Charity's official cast of bachelors.
Zach recently told Us Weekly that he believes Charity is going to "kill it" as The Bachelorette star.
"She knows what she wants. She is so confident, she's so sweet and, you know, she has a great heart," Zach shared. "She's someone from the very beginning that -- I don't know what exactly it was -- but [she] was just trustworthy."
Two of Zach's Final 3 bachelorettes, Ariel Frenkel and Gabi Elnicki, also recently expressed how they think Charity is going to shine and "crush it" on The Bachelorette this summer.
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