I've passed along some advice that Oprah [Winfrey] gave to me: When something bad is happening, it's not happening to you; it's happening for you.

If your dream only includes you, it's too small.

Be passionate and move forward with gusto every single hour of every single day until you reach your goal.

Figure out what you need to do to be the heroine of your own story.

Don't wait for permission to do something creative.

If you're doing something outside of dominant culture there's not an easy place for you. You will have to do it yourself.

When you're in your lane, there's no traffic.

We have to find new ways to work without permission, new ways to turn corners and go through doors that are closed off to us to create our own audiences and our own material independently.

Stop asking, start doing.

If your work is solid, it really doesn't matter what people you know because good work starts to rise to the top.

Because my mom always told me that I could. From a very early age, I felt comfortable leading.

I have more concern for my nephew's welfare than for Lannister pride.

My activism did not spring from being black...The racial injustice that was present in this country during my youth was a challenge to my belief in the oneness of the human family.

I wanted to create something that people could relate to without having read a book about it beforehand.

Chase your passion, not your pension.

I've only used my own voice about four times on film.

Work hard to discover your gift and you will never envy or hate another human being who is manifesting theirs.

I hate to see prudence clinging to the green suckers of youth; 'tis like ivy round a sapling, and spoils the growth of the tree.

Metaphor for the night sky: a trillion asterisks and no explanations.

Kings and such are just as funny as politicians.

In the insurance business, there is no statute of limitation on stupidity.