Quotes from Karen Civil

At the end of the day, I'm still an African-American woman in a male-dominated industry, so sometimes you have to deal with people not taking your ideas seriously. But I look at it as, I'd rather have adversities in something that I love than doing something that I hate or where I am not interested.

I don't have family in this business. I had two parents that loved me, that worked 24-7, and this is what instilled hard work in me. So you hear the stories about my upbringing, my religion.

I want children to know that they can create the life they dream of despite the odds that are against them.

Never stray from life's purpose. Refrain from counting someone else's blessings instead of your own.

I make sure I eat before I go anywhere just in case they don't have a vegan-friendly option.

When I was young, I originally wanted to be a radio on-air personality. Once I realized I may not be fit for that - I was infatuated with hip-hop - that I still wanted to be a part and give back the community, so I decided to carve my own path and make my own lane.

We now live in an era where everybody is rich, and for some reason, everybody has a $20K bag. It is great to have those things, but I want the people who follow me to feel inspired and not jealous. Once you figure out your overall message, then you can push forward.

I love vegan tacos... soooo good! I invite friends over to have some, and they can't believe they aren't eating real meat.

I clung to my vegan friends for more support than anyone because they helped guide me and made the transition much easier. My family was a bit skeptical, as they felt like I wasn't getting enough protein in my vegan diet.

Be You, Live Civil was a tour that I started, and it's just always something that I've been to myself. 'Be you, live civil' is like 'live my life.' That was my short version of saying to live my life.

I like to take people out of their element.

Growing up in America, even in the rougher parts of Elizabeth, I had two nice playgrounds to choose from as a child.

As an Elizabeth native, I believe it is my duty to give back to my community. Our youth is our future, and it truly takes a village to raise a child.

The world is your stage. Make your mark.