Quotes About Representation

I think that casting shows are pretty good at teaching someone how to present themselves and how to handle the media.

I would have young dancers come to me and ask me questions and want to know what my experiences were like: 'What's it like being a black dancer?' So I just felt like it was necessary for me to share my experiences with them.

There is a danger in democracy itself.

I decided that in Wakanda, the royal family would have extremely dark complexions, like so black they're blue. My attitude was, because the royal family is dark, the darker you are, the more you're considered royal.

What I address is that I know that if I was some shades darker that I wouldn't be in the band. I think that was so important for me to address because it is true.

I'm so proud to help put women's darts on the map.

I'm a mom of two girls. And my daughters see me... I never want to show them anything that I wouldn't want them to represent as a black woman.

John David captured the 25-year-old essence of me very well. I'm proud to call him a Stallworth brother.

I want to make it very clear from day one that we are a government for everyone.

I've always wanted to be in comedy... growing up with Asian parents and not seeing yourself represented in media - it was always just a daydream.

Growing up, I never thought about becoming an actress because I never saw deaf people in TV or movies. I didn't think it was possible.

I think we really do need deaf people out there writing their own shows.

I think dealing with the U.S. Senate is very different from dealing with the electorate.

I have represented people in book deals.

For whatever reason, gay characters, or characters that deal with sexuality issues, who are black, in 'black films'... are typically not dealt with with any sort of complexity. They're exoticized: their being gay is sort of the point.

There's a dearth of media around young black women and certainly a dearth of LGBT media for people of color.

I believe in decentralized democracy.

I had to choose between American and British actors, and it didn't take me more than a second to decide: Russians are Europeans and should be played by other Europeans.

But we made a decision based on the fact that we have been up there a long time and that we feel that the seniority is important to the people of Louisiana.

I don't dedicate my whole life to being a trans advocate. But I do believe that me, and how I represent myself and how I am honest and open to everybody, I do feel like I'm doing something for the trans community.

It hasn't been for a lack of trying. But we really have to analyze in a deeper way why we have these problems - at least at the state level - electing an African-American.

For a white writer not to be able to step into the shoes of people of color confuses me. That should be the default - many people of color have to step into the shoes of white people. Women have to step into the shoes of men.

In Shadow and Bone,' Alina's race is never specified. But that entire book is basically built on a white default. My life has never been entirely white or entirely straight, so I had to really step back and question why I'd chosen to write my first novel that way.

I am very proud to be African. I want to defend African people, and I want to show to the world that African players can be as good as the Europeans and South Americans.