As human beings, what makes us able to empathize with people is a connection that is not necessarily understood mentally.
Lupita Nyong'oEven in my dreams of being an actor, my dream was not in the celebrity. My dream was in the work that I wanted to do.
Lupita Nyong'oWhen I was in the second grade, one of my teachers said, "Where are you going to find a husband? How are you going to find someone darker than you?" I was mortified. I remember seeing a commercial where a woman goes for an interview and doesn't get the job. Then she puts a cream on her face to lighten her skin, and she gets the job! This is the message: that dark skin is unacceptable. I definitely wasn't hearing this from my immediate family - my mother never said anything to that effect - but the voices from the television are usually much louder than the voices of your parents.
Lupita Nyong'oIt's great to have something to dress up for. You know, I spent three years in slacks at drama school, so now I like putting a dress on.
Lupita Nyong'o