Justin Simien : (10)

" ‘Color-blind’ comes up – people say ‘Oh, I’m color-blind and therefore can’t be accused of racism,’ but I think that if we are going to have an honest dialogue about racism, we have to admit that people of color are having a different experience. " - Justin Simien

" There is no monolithic black culture. It’s completely different for someone born in Harlem to someone born in Houston or London with one exception, which is that people contributing to black culture have the experience of being black. " - Justin Simien

" The thing about TV is you kind of have an endless canvas. You can always keep going. " - Justin Simien

" As much as I’d love to believe that we are ‘post-racial’ – an idea that really gained traction after the election of Barack Obama in 2008 – I can never escape the fact that in the world I am perceived as a ‘black man’ and, in certain parts of the world, as a ‘black gay man.’ " - Justin Simien

" I saw ‘Beauty and the Beast’ at eight years old in theatres and spent hours trying to recreate the majestic imagery of that story in a drawing notepad at home. " - Justin Simien

" Self-doubt is a constant companion for a chubby, gay, black boy born in the South. " - Justin Simien

" I think we all have identity crises throughout our lives. " - Justin Simien

" There is a difference between being offended and being prejudiced and even being bigoted against. There’s a difference between that and racism. " - Justin Simien

" I loved Lena Dunham’s ‘Girls.’ " - Justin Simien

" If you examine any aspect of the human condition long enough, you really do have to start laughing at it. Because the business of being human is kind of ridiculous. " - Justin Simien