Growing up, I didn't receive the representation that I wanted so badly. I was always looking out for black characters - black women - that were specifically just about existing and weren't necessarily racialized or were centered around race. Amandla Stenberg More Quotes by Amandla Stenberg More Quotes From Amandla Stenberg 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' by Betty Smith is one of my favorites. Even though it doesn't have any monsters or crazy fantasy in it, it's such a raw story, and I can really relate to the characters. I think it's a beautiful story. Amandla Stenberg think crazy tree beautiful As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of 'The Hunger Games' family. It was an amazing experience; I am proud of the film and my performance. I want to thank all of my fans and the entire 'Hunger Games' community for their support and loyalty. Amandla Stenberg i-am experience family loyalty Within months after reading the novel 'The Hunger Games,' I went from telling my mom that I could see myself as this character to actually getting the role. My mother reminds me that if I could manifest such an important role just because I wanted it so much, all of my dreams are possible. Amandla Stenberg dreams myself me mother People are getting tired of the same material; they want to see black girls as leads in movies. And I happen to be lucky enough to understand that - and be able to grab that opportunity and run with it. Amandla Stenberg tired black opportunity people I've read the 'Mortal Instruments' series; I was obsessed with those. Amandla Stenberg mortal read those series My sexuality's very fluid, and my gender is very fluid. Amandla Stenberg very gender sexuality fluid I don't think gender even exists. Amandla Stenberg exists even think gender I don't think of myself as statically a girl. Amandla Stenberg myself think girl I think that, as a black girl, you grow up internalizing all these messages that say you shouldn't accept your hair or your skin tone or your natural features or that you shouldn't have a voice or that you aren't smart. Amandla Stenberg you black girl hair I know when I used to chemically straighten mine, I did it because I wasn't comfortable with my natural hair. I thought it was too poofy, too kinky. So for me, personally, when I started wearing it natural, it felt like I was blossoming because I was letting go of all the dead hair and all the parts of me that had rejected my natural state. Amandla Stenberg dead thought me hair I often find myself in situations where I am the token black person. It can feel like this enormous weight. Amandla Stenberg i-am feel myself black I'm really passionate about representation in film. I feel like the world is dominated by such a small group of human beings. There are so many different kinds of people that aren't represented, that don't have characters who look like them. Amandla Stenberg feel look people world I'm a huge fan of Toni Morrison. I just think she's so incredible. And also Nayyirah Waheed, who's a poet. Amandla Stenberg she just think poet I'm lucky because the most dangerous thing that could happen to me is that someone will say something mean on a computer screen miles away, and so I feel like if that's all that I'm facing, then why would I not use my platform to talk about things? Amandla Stenberg feel someone me dangerous I hope people online understand that the celebrity culture we've created is not really real. So when they're speaking to and about me, I'm a person, so I'm going to make mistakes. It's inevitable because I'm human. Amandla Stenberg me hope culture people
