Whenever you see me somewhere succeeding in one area of my life, that almost certainly means I am failing in another area of my life.

Cynicism is a choice. Optimism is a better choice.

This moment right here, me standing up here all brown with my boobs and my Thursday night of network television full of women of color, competitive women, strong women, women who own their bodies and whose lives revolve around their work instead of their men, women who are big dogs, that could only be happening right now.

Mother is a verb, not a noun.

Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It's hard work that makes things happen. It's hard work that creates change.

I remember saying, very almost jokingly, I'm going to take over the world through television, that's my plan. And I said it to my agent, and I said it to my friends, and I said it to myself.

Mother is not a title. Mother is a verb. It is not who you are. It's what you do.