My father taught me how to be a parent and gave me a positive connection with men because he is a gentleman.

Make sure your decision to have a child is based on the need to share your life completely with another little human being and not because of some personal need for validation as a woman.

The relationship I have with Bethann [Hardison], it's so unique. It's based on trust. But most importantly, Bethann is the one who will call on me if I'm doing something wrong. That's a very specific relationship.

A self-esteem issue doesn't change whether you're considered beautiful or not because it's about what's inside you.

When 9/11 happened, 12 of our neighborhood firemen were killed. I looked around at the country that had adopted me and I became an American.

The one thing my mother instilled in me, well both my parents but specifically my mother - I come from a Muslim country where boys were more wanted than girls so she always made me feel that there is nothing that I couldn't do as well as the boys if not better.

Don't be afraid to walk away from things that are just not right for you.