On the moment acting took hold of her: "I remember it so vividly. There was this girl who went to my school, and she did a Nikki Giovanni poem, 'Ego Tripping,' and it was just different from everyone else's. It wasn't flat recitation. It had an energy and a life to it. And it made me sit up in my seat, and my eyes got wide, and I really felt inside myself, 'She's making me feel things.' I want to do that."
On how Orange Is the New Black has affected her life: "After the first season, my life definitely changed. But after the second season, I feel like it's changed ten-fold. You have people who are so passionate and touched by my work, which is so humbling. But other times, it's a little overwhelming. If I'm just trying to go to the bodega and get some coconut water, I have to put on a hat and some glasses — those kinds of things."
On her church background: "I grew up in the church. I have seen my parents inspire people and give them hope and faith most of my life . . . I feel like oftentimes in the church people get caught up in literal translations of the Bible. But that's not the home I grew up in. I was just taught that love is the most powerful thing. And being able to see that and see my parents on the forefront of that made such a big impact on my life."
