I come from a long line of strong and confident women out of New Orleans. My grandmother and great-grandmother were women who ran their homes and were leaders in their communities. I was never taught that there was anything that I couldn't do, and I believed that.
Growing up, I learned that if you are passionate about something, that you can move mountains. Passion is more precious than gold, and it's a currency that everyone craves. It's something that's hard to fake, and when it's real, everyone wants to be on that train. It's about giving people something that they can believe.
I think being ambitious, successful, powerful, making a lot of money - I don't care what color you are as a woman; it's difficult to find a mate. I think the natural order is that men want to be providers.
I've worked with a lot of first time directors; in fact, I enjoy it because there is a certain beginner's mind that they bring into a project that isn't loaded with the way things have been done before. There's a certain freedom to it.
I've always loved reading and always loved the movies. Storytelling is one of the oldest of human endeavors, and they give us our understanding of the world and our place in it. When I discovered that there were people who professionally were involved in the creation of stories, it was game over - I knew what I wanted to do it.
I truly believe in the value that stories have in being able to elevate humanity and make the world a better place.
I would like to see more films being made with people of color behind the camera and in front of the camera, because the more times at bat we have, the better we get.
