Andrea Navedo Quotes

I am proud to be able to exhibit my work and inspire young people. Especially young black women so they know that they are beautiful, that they don't have to hold onto any negative stereotypes.

We always talk about how important representation is. It's so important to see someone that looks like you - whether you're African American, Asian, Indian or whatever your background is - doing incredible things. It's just motivation to go out there and do incredible things yourself.

My parents have taught me the value of reading and self-love through books that have characters that look like me and talk like me.

Ultimately, my goal is to inspire little brown girls that look like me, that are sitting on the porch wearing cornrows.

I hope that I can be an inspiration to kids that are young and may feel different or may feel like they don't belong.

Ugly Betty' has definitely helped me cope with issues I would have never been able to cope with if I wasn't a part of a show that has such unique characters.

I believed my story would be helpful to young women my daughter's age, who are still in the process of forming themselves as women, and in need of encouragement to remain true to themselves.

It really comes down to being able to inspire others by being comfortable with yourself. You have to show girls that everyone is different; everyone has things they don't like, but they work it and walk the runway.

With L'Oreal, I get to be Aimee Mullins, model. No qualifier. And that means everything to me.

This role is more visible, and I grew up without a lot of that sort of modeling so I'm relieved and proud to have done this film.

The idea that feeling confident and feeling misunderstood are mutually exclusive really bugs me. So a lot of what 'Rookie' is about is just showing that you can be both, and you can like whatever you want.

When I discovered Special Olympics and saw how it integrates these athletes into programs that change the whole way they see themselves and how they perform, it blew my mind. I wanted to be involved.

Jennifer Lopez, she opened so many doors for Latinas such as myself.

Kids will tell me 'oh I want to be like you when I grow up,' you know. I just thought 'nah, don't be like me, be like you,' because first of all they don't really know me but second of all I understand what they're trying to say but I just let them know - be like you.

I'm inspired to post a lot of positive messages on my social media because, growing up, I felt as though I needed somebody that looked like me in the limelight or in entertainment to promote being different and promote accepting your differences.

Even with the beauty stories we put out, we saw there was an opportunity to address issues of representation, identity, self-expression. We created the community that we wanted to have at 'Teen Vogue.' We were willing to lose some to have more.

I was in Italy on vacation, and I saw my reflection in a mirror. I saw how unique my skin was and why people stop me on the street to ask about it. I started falling in love with it.

Nothing will ever outshine, for me, the countless children whose eyes and imaginations I've seen light up when meeting Black Santa and understanding that there's a character of pure good out there that represents them.

I think that for a lot of people, I inspire them to be themselves.

Fashion is one industry that can really change things around for young boys and girls and make them feel like they are not left out. It can send a message that one doesn't have to look a certain way to be considered more beautiful or fashionable.

I want to inspire people to tear down their walls, especially for teenage girls.

Representing young black girls and giving them hope and the light and letting them know that they can do anything is important to me as a little black girl, too.

When I was young, I was picked on for something that today I feel is amazing. One thing about me connects millions of people around the world. And it's my skin condition - vitiligo.

Have the pride of the brown girl and know that you'll figure out your own beauty in time.

If people can find something that they love about themselves after going to one of my shows, then I am so addicted to that feeling. It's the most gratifying thing on earth.