I went to Macalester in Minnesota to study social psychology, the study of why people do what they do. I was really looking at race, population, gender, and how we psychologically function in a way that affects our societal outcomes around those issues.

Danai Gurira

Categorized in : Looking Way People Gender

I got an M.F.A. in acting from NYU, and part of our training is to learn how to use swords in combat situations in a performance and Shakespeare plays where you have to fight.

Danai Gurira

nyu fighting play

There’s a saying in Africa, if you give a woman empowerment, you empower a community, you empower men, you empower man. When women become empowered and live in their strength it’s beneficiary to others, and I think as young women today we sometimes forget that we are standing on the struggle of other women. Those women had to stand up to make a change, and they were not popular, and now we’re making them unpopular again.

Danai Gurira

struggle men thinking

If you're a fighter, you recognize a fighter.

Danai Gurira

fighter ifs

I write about African women, that's really my topic. I have no shame or qualm in it because it's a very underrepresented topic, which is part of the reason I started to write.

Danai Gurira

topics shame writing

People with nothing to hide don't usually feel the need to say so.

Danai Gurira

feels people needs

My assumption is I'm not going to be recognized. But when I am, I'm like, "Dang, you know who I am?" I always think I look so different.

Danai Gurira

who-i-am different thinking

You look at women like Lena Dunham, you look at how women are kind of crafting their own space on the screen. I want to add to that.

Danai Gurira

space add looks

The best characters are always wretchedly flawed

Danai Gurira

best-character flawed character

My favorite TV shows are Orange Is the New Black, House of Cards, Modern Family, and Veep.

Danai Gurira

orange house-of-cards tv-shows

A zombie apocalypse isn't the most jovial situation.

Danai Gurira

zombie apocalypse situation

I always used to say hybrids would rule the world - people who have an understanding of many cultures and can relate to them with ease. And then along came Obama.

Danai Gurira

understanding ease people

I love writing for other actors, women of African descent and people who are generally underrepresented.

Danai Gurira

actors writing people

Zimbabweans are so smart and witty and able to weave together tons of situations and experiences into terminologies that are just utterly original.

Danai Gurira

smart together witty

All the struggles that were fought for here in the United States for African Americans, you now enjoy the privileges of. You now come here and can enjoy privileges that were fought for by African Americans over several generations.

Danai Gurira

african-american united-states struggle

I just feel like it's fascinating to me just watching my own family, seeing my cousins have children here, seeing the generations go on, and seeing how people are still very connected to their home, but are actually, of course, Americans too. That sort of a hybrided sense of self is something that I yearn to see more of expressed.

Danai Gurira

cousin home children

I create fictional narratives, but it's based on literal people.

Danai Gurira

literal narrative people

You Americans, you have no idea how much your stuff infiltrates the rest of the world!

Danai Gurira

stuff world ideas

My artistic spirit is not nurtured by blogospheres.

Danai Gurira

artistic spirit

Back in the day, I used to read 'Archie,' but I haven't been a comic book aficionado.

Danai Gurira

back-in-the-day comic book

I've always been attracted to action stuff.

Danai Gurira

action stuff