Lena Waithe Quotes
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The things that make us different, those are our superpowers.
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There's so many other talented women of color who write funny things every day, and I want them to be recognized, I want them to have a seat at the table because we're out here.
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I've been obsessed with television since I was 7 years old, and I've always been writing on some level.
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I always love where I can plug a black woman in anywhere, and when that comes up, I don't say, 'Oh that has to be a black woman.' I say, 'Why not a black woman?'
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I don't like beating people on the head with the message. I don't like standing on the soapbox.
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When people think of the South Side of Chicago, they don't think about where I'm from. It was sort of a pocket: this idyllic community of black people who took care of each other, knew each other, spent time with each other.
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My family still lives in Chicago: my mother, my sister, my nephew, my family is there. So even though I am not living there, I feel very close to it, and I visit very often.
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Like 'Sex and the City' - if you're a New Yorker, you knew half the places they were going to. I want 'The Chi' to feel that way as well.
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My aesthetic is very black.
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When you're not as accessible, you get in a tent and get in your own head, and you start doing things that are a little out of touch. I think we've seen it happen with certain artists... people can't touch them; they're not touching people. They're only touching people in their circle.
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The cool thing about dope black style becoming in style is that the industry has no choice but to try and reduplicate that.
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I'm a huge fan of television, and the reason I'm a part of the world is because I'm a fan of it.
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Things meant to appeal to the masses usually end up appealing to no one.
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I'm queen of mentorship.
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I watched a ton of TV because I was raised by a single mom and spent a lot of time with my grandmother. Like most grandparents do, she would spend hours and hours in front of the TV box.
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'The Breakfast Club' was one of my favorites.
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It was a symbolic moment when 'Moonlight' literally took the Oscar out of 'La La Land's' hand.
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I knew very early on I wanted to be a television writer. My teachers told me I was a strong writer and had a voice. I really leaned in to that.
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I write for my people.
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Every black man in Chicago walks through the world differently, and I think what young black boys do is observe, and that's what gives them their road map.
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The truth is, for me, when I was a young black girl who knew I was different, was watching TV, I would always be staring at the TV set looking for myself, and I didn't see me. And when you don't see yourself, you start to think that you don't matter, or you start to think that something is wrong with you.
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I'm a black woman, so I'm obviously not going to write something where women aren't at the forefront.
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There's a lot of Donald Glovers, Jordan Peeles, Justin Simiens. And there's a lot of me's, too.
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I never want to feel too far away from people. I think that's when you get in trouble.