Trina and Towanda Braxton Address Backlash From Filming 'The Braxtons' Without Traci (EXCLUSIVE)

If you're like me and the Braxton Family Values theme song runs in your head, you're more than likely excited for The Braxton family's return to reality TV! The sisters — Toni , Towanda, Trina, and Tamar , are back with their mother, Evelyn, better known as "Ms. E," to once again make us laugh, cry, and wish we had siblings who knew how to sing!

Since we last saw the Braxtons on TV, they've endured public hardships, especially the loss of their beloved daughter and sister, Traci Braxton.

Traci passed away from esophageal cancer in March 2022, leaving a void in the Braxton sisterhood. To honor Traci's legacy, the family has decided to reunite for The Braxtons , airing on Friday, August 9, 2024.

Ahead of the WeTV show's premiere, Trina and Towanda Braxton explained in an interview with Distractify why they are moving forward with the reunion despite any criticism they receive online. The sisters emphasized that honoring Traci's memory is what matters most.

Trina and Towanda Braxton say social media spectators of 'The Braxtons' should "comment responsibly."

In July 2024, WeTV debuted the trailer for The Braxtons . And as excited as viewers were to see the family back together, Traci's absence was palpable on the screen. In between the fans commenting how much they missed Traci and her "isms" — like her sisters' personal favorites — "before you write with a pen, write with a pencil" or "I can be real petty. P-E- to the T-T-Y honey!" came comments from fans who questioned the family's motives.

Trina and Towanda shared with Distractify that Traci's presence is "definitely missing" — not just on the show, but in their daily lives.

Still, they know The Braxtons is what she wanted. Anything besides that, to them, is "negativity," which Towanda said she wants no part of.

"I always choose not to feed into negativity because I don't want to give it life," Towanda exclusively told Distractify . "You give life to anything you feed. I'd rather pour into the positives, [which is] we are coming back, and we are here, and you can see us and join us every Friday night, and we are here for Traci."

Trina agreed with Towanda and added that the public's perception of why they started the show isn't her concern. However, she wishes some people would be more mindful of how the family is still "healing" from their sister's death on and off-camera.

"People should comment responsibly," Trina declared. "Because you don't know how someone is feeling."

Towanda and Trina want Traci Braxton's legacy to continue on 'The Braxtons.'

Much of the new season of The Braxtons focuses on the family coping with their tremendous loss. In turn, they discuss how they remember Traci both together and separately. Trina and Towanda told us they honor her by never taking off a necklace with a hummingbird—which each Braxton sister wears to pay homage to Traci's love for hummingbirds — unless they are with their significant others.

Towanda also said her bond with Traci's only son, Kevin Surratt Jr. , helps "keep Traci's legacy alive."

Of course, the Braxton sisters being back together to film their TV show is their collective way of telling Traci's story as she wanted.

And while there are "somber" moments, Trina and Towanda said getting to share all of their "amazing" sisters' lighthearted and powerful moments is a "blessing" for them, whether it's filmed or not.

"I'm just, we're just so blessed that God chose us to be her sister," Towanda said. "In the spiritual world, you choose, and we were chosen to be a part of her life and she was chosen to be part of ours."

"I'm just thankful that she was placed here," she added. "And when she was, we were able to share her with the entire world, because she's such an amazing spirit. She's was an amazing human as she was walking the earth, and now she's on the other side, helping [others]."

Catch The Braxtons on WeTV on Friday nights at 9:30 p.m. EST and streaming the next day on the AllBlk network.