I always considered myself bi-racial, because I didn't want to disconnect from either side, and I felt very strongly about that. Now, I understand that the world sees me as a black woman, a person of color, and I'm okay with that.Collection: Color
I think you find pieces of yourself in every character you portray.Collection: Character
It doesn't matter whether you're black or white, practice a different religion, come from a different culture, or have a disability. If you're different from most of the people you're surrounded by, some people might not be as tolerant as they should be.Collection: White
You pick pieces of things you've experienced in life to make it real to yourself.Collection: Real
As I've gotten old I've really listened to a wide spectrum of music, whether it's The Carpenters, Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z or Lauryn Hill. I've kinda' run the gamut, and in listening to so many different styles, you come to take bits and pieces from all of it.Collection: Running
I'm a pretty private person. I'm not "out there" out there. From living in New York City, I developed a certain awareness that you have to have when you live by yourself.Collection: New York
When you have parents who are recognizable, there's a certain part of you that wants to know that people you meet are able to not get clouded by that.Collection: People
It was always a funny thing when someone would ask me my name and I would say "Brooklyn." They would always think that I meant that I lived in Brooklyn, and I would have to clarify that.Collection: Thinking
I was one of the serious studiers. I'm not somebody who just shows up and gets a hundred on a test.Collection: Tests
When I was a kid, I always envisioned myself as performing, as being in that business. It was all that I knew, so it's kind of like I'm just following in the family tradition.Collection: Kids
To me, my parents are my mom and dad, and we were able as kids to do a lot of cool things. Just being part of that family definitely brought out and cultivated the creative arts in us.Collection: Mom
We live in a melting pot. More and more, people are some kind of mixture. Even if you're Caucasian, you're a mixture of something.Collection: People