I was always a closet lover of acting. My mom was very practical. She never, ever restricted our dreams, always told us we could do or be anything. Then I said, 'Maybe I want to be an actor.' And she said, 'Maybe not that.'

I can only be the best version of myself and understand that the only way that we as a people can heal is to understand that the next person's journey may not be your own, but it doesn't mean that you have to marginalize them in any way.

I really believe things happen as they're supposed to and in the time that they're supposed to.

I hope that in some way that I can be some sort of beacon of hope, especially because I am not the typical Hollywood beauty.

I'm attracted to things that make me want to be a better person.

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

The first time I saw E.T., the actual image of an alien, and he was so sweet-looking. I wanted him. I wanted E.T.