I'm not interested in being commodified. I'm not into being sold. I'm not a slave.

I like to read Octavia E. Butler's 'Wild Seed' over and over again. And J. California Cooper's 'The Wake of the Wind.' That one makes me cry from joy. I'll mourn - I'll actually mourn - and then I'll cry from joy. She's wonderful.

When I was growing up, my mother would take me to plays and museums, and we'd talk about life. Those times helped shape who I became.

I'm going to be a strict mum. I know that love is the most important thing - you've got to have lots of kisses and cuddles - but you also need to mix it with discipline or you'll be in a heap of trouble.

Ain't nothing coming easily in this life. Sometimes you gotta work, you gotta grow and it gotta hurt.

I was conceived after doctors told my mother she'd never have children. I'm a miracle - we all are.

At my aunt's funeral, I promised myself that I wouldn't be bound by the belief that I'm supposed to stay in anything - whether it's a relationship, a job, a house, or a circumstance - if it makes me miserable. She gave me the courage to find my own happiness.