I'm a black woman, so I'm obviously not going to write something where women aren't at the forefront.
I got into the business because I love writing. When it came down to finding my voice, which every writer has to take time to do, I think I realized I write black people very well. I write us in a very honest way, and I want to hear the way we really talk.
I feel like I wanna have a series of moments. It's scary when they say you're having a moment, because moments are momentary.
I'm very grateful that I'm the kind of actor where I'm not some character actor. I can't disappear into a world.
The thing for me is to always tell the truth. Not to preach, but to tell the truth.
I don't need an Emmy to tell me to go to work. I've been working.
It was a symbolic moment when 'Moonlight' literally took the Oscar out of 'La La Land's' hand.
You have to write and develop and wait for the world to catch up to your art.
I don't want to be white. I don't want to be straight. I don't want to blend in.
When you're not as accessible, you get in a tent and get in your own head, and you start doing things that are a little out of touch. I think we've seen it happen with certain artists... people can't touch them; they're not touching people. They're only touching people in their circle.
I never want to feel too far away from people. I think that's when you get in trouble.
There's so many other talented women of color who write funny things every day, and I want them to be recognized, I want them to have a seat at the table because we're out here.
All the writers for 'The Chi,' they're all phenomenal, so I'm just working on projects with them. They have great scripts.
I'm queen of mentorship.
There's a lot of Donald Glovers, Jordan Peeles, Justin Simiens. And there's a lot of me's, too.
Wearing one hoop earring and playing with the androgyny - that's who I am. That's what I like to do. And I feel the world should see that. I'm not going to put a shield up or be more feminine to make people feel comfortable.
If you think you aren't valid for whatever reason, let my existence and the way the world embraces my existence tell you that you are valid. You deserve to look, live, and walk through the world however you see fit. That's why I find it extremely important to be so out, so black, and so myself.
When people think of the South Side of Chicago, they don't think about where I'm from. It was sort of a pocket: this idyllic community of black people who took care of each other, knew each other, spent time with each other.
I've been obsessed with television since I was 7 years old, and I've always been writing on some level.
People can say what they want about a person, but if you're successful and you make them money, then people don't care.
