I was very independent growing up, but there were things that were bothering me that I never told anybody. I would talk to our animals at home.

I'm convinced that we Black women possess a special indestructible strength that allows us to not only get down, but to get up, to get through, and to get over.

People do see me as sweet and innocent. Not to say that I am not those things. But I have other sides to me.

Competition is great. And as long as it's friendly and not a malicious thing, then I think it's cool.

I don't believe in luck. ... It's persistence, hard work, and not forgetting your dream.

I can be happy with who I am, not what I should be, or what I might have been, or what someone tells me I must be.

Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself because no one else is going to.

It has taken me most of my adult life to come to terms with who I am. To do that, I had to break free of attitudes that brought me down.

In complete darkness we are all the same, it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us, don't let your eyes deceive you.

The greatest achievement to any human being is to love God, yourself, and others.

Every body type is different - that's what makes you unique. What makes you special is you, and you are different from the next person.

To put meaning in one's life may end in madness, But life without meaning is the tortureOf restlessness and vague desire--It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid.

Nothing on earth can ever equate to the level of joy that comes with loving oneself unconditionally.

The flesh would shrink and go, the blood would dry, but no one believes in his mind of minds or heart of hearts that the pictures do stop.

Look at me and tell me if I dont have Brazil in every curve of my body.

Everybody who I play always wants to use me, so I always tell them that I'm the only one who knows how to stop Portis, so go ahead.

I'd love to do a live record, I'd love to do an acoustic record, I'm already thinking about what I may want to do with the next studio record.

I am really lucky to have Jeff. He is my best friend in the whole world, not only my brother.

Maybe it's a little crazy, but it's good to have it, but I just don't like [prizes or honors].

But there was nothing I could do with the emotion really. It just went away after a while.

I ask no risen dust to teach me immortality; I am conscious of eternal life.