Xosha Roquemore

Xosha Kai Roquemore (/ˈzoʊʃə ˈroʊkmɔːr/ ZOH-shə ROHK-mor; born December 11, 1984) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Jo Ann in Precious and Tamra in The Mindy Project.

Roquemore was born in 1984 in Los Angeles and is named after the Xhosa people of South Africa. She started acting when she joined The Amazing Grace Conservatory in ninth grade. After graduating from high school, she moved to New York City and graduated from the Tisch program at New York University.

Roquemore starred in her first major film as Jo Ann in Precious. In 2013, she was cast in a recurring role on Kirstie, based on her work in the series pilot. Her role, however, was recast after she was added as a series regular to The Mindy Project after a three-episode guest star stint.