Lena Waithe Quotes

I don't know what gives me more pleasure: watching my story unfold or going in and watching a room full of black people talking for me and writing words for black people.

My music is about identity.

I am a woman, and I am a Latina. Those are the things that make my writing distinctive. Those are the things that give my writing power.

In the hip-hop community, it's about how real are you, or how strong can you be, and really my music just reflects me. If you can accept me, then you can accept my music.

Dance is for everybody. I believe that the dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people.

I learned from an early age that my heritage, my love for people, and my desire to be a vehicle that can be used through my voice, that my expressions and actions can transport a person to experience a scene from the past, present and future.

Whether it's writing a monologue or writing standup or writing a screenplay or writing a play, I think staying involved in the creation of your own work empowers you in a way, even if you don't ever do it. It gives you a sense of ownership and a sense of purpose, which I think as an actor is really important.

Because I'm not doing it for the money, I'm doing it because I feel like that story needs to be told or clarified, or something needs to be shown about that.

Whether I'm acting, writing, or directing, I want to tell the truth about human beings, especially my folk.

I feel empowered to be a different kind of writer. The longer I stay here, the more light filters into my work. I feel very American. I belong.

In creating my YouTube videos, I don't want to speak for my audience and the people I represent; I want to amplify their voices.

I grew up watching cinema in my country that wasn't telling stories about us, and we had to find a way to connect, and our references, our role models had nothing to do with us. And I'm so glad that it's changing.

I'm Puerto Rican, but I represent everybody.

I'm a writer. My job is to speak what - that which I think is true. If that bridges the gap, that's good. If it doesn't, that's too bad.

When I step on the stage and sing 'Wait for It,' I'm singing that for everybody. I don't mean I'm singing it for them; I mean, you are their voice.

The pride I feel in representing my people, no matter where I am, is never going to diminish. I could be in Hong Kong, Singapore, Egypt or even Las Vegas, I'll always be representing my people.

When I was growing up, in the '80s and '90s, I just never really saw myself reflected in the things that I had a liking for. It makes a difference.

When I first came out, I was wearing full-on traditional Nigerian wear. I got told by a lot of people that I should just tone it down. I only stopped when I realized there's only so many prints you can wear.

Of course I want the things I write to reflect well on me or anyone who might feel represented by me, but also, I'm not writing a guidebook on how to be or how my people should be seen. I'm telling very specific stories.

Hip hop is a human skill, and the practice of real hip hop should remind us of our humanity.

I want to do performance that inspires people to be true to themselves and has tangible impact on the community. Not just because I want to be a role model - I just think it's the best way to honor the tradition of drag.

It's really empowering when you see yourself represented in entertainment and, especially, onstage when you're talking about how this country came to be.

Fans make you understand it was more than music to them. It was a movement, a voice they felt they didn't have that we expressed for them.

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.

It's not about just diversity; it's about authenticity. Audiences are really excited to see more of themselves on the screen.