You know, the sad thing of post-9/11, which was of course horrific, was that the city in which I felt completely at home for two decades, suddenly people like us - brown people - were looked at as the 'Others.'

I want to question what the outside is and who defines it. I often find those that are considered to be on the outside extremely inspiring.

We all know the power of film; we all know there's almost nothing more powerful than to see people on film that look and talk like you, like we do.

In our house we say 'adolescence' is a western word. We don't believe in it.

It took me three years to learn to dress in the American way, especially in winter. That was just like me. I barely wear socks even now.

It is because my roots are so strong that I can fly.

Truth is more peculiar than fiction. Life is really a startling place.