You know, bigotry isn't relevant to just the South. It never was. But I'm very grateful that I don't know what it's like from experience.

Unfortunately, there's a lack of roles for women of color, so you actually have to be the engineer creating some of those roles.

You never write a speech in advance because if you don't get to use it, you'll be heartbroken.

You cannot live to please everyone else. You have to edify, educate and fulfill your own dreams and destiny, and hope that whatever your art is that you're putting out there, if it's received, great, I respect you for receiving it. If it's not received, great, I respect you for not.

I don't have one role that I want to play. I guess... I want to be a producer. I want to be an activist. I want to be proactive in bringing about work for men, women, boys, girls, everybody who is good at what they do and deserve a shot at it.

There are enough negative images of Black women out there and I did not want to portray Dorothy Vaughn in any stereotype. I wanted to make sure that her integrity was preserved.

I can't speak for what other artists should do. I can only tell you how I live.