John Leguizamo Quotes

It meant something to see people who looked like me in comic books. It was this beautiful place that I felt pop culture should look like.

When I grew up in America, I didn't see anyone who looked like me on TV. I feel overwhelmed with the things that people have said to me. When I meet Indian Americans who've lived here all their lives, it's overwhelming people holding me and crying. Someone said to me, 'Thank you for making us relevant.' It's such a big thing.

It's hard as a young person of a different ethnicity or background to look at the TV and not see anyone who looks like you. Representation is very important.

While books expand horizons by exposing us to worlds outside our own, children also need to see themselves, their experiences and their cultures reflected in books they read. Unfortunately, for too many children, this is not the norm.

When I grew up, I never saw anyone looking like me on TV, you know? I'm so glad to see a lot more of us on television, whether it's Mindy Kaling or it's Irrfan Khan or Freida Pinto. You know, I hope, like, little girls across the world can just look at me and say, 'Ah, I want to be that!' Indian or not, it shouldn't matter.

I'm Puerto Rican, but I represent everybody.

There's something to be said about seeing your face represented. There's just something really important about that. It just draws you in more.

I think kids in every minority need to see people like themselves in books; that's an acknowledgment of their existence on this planet and in this society.

I feel like I'm opening the doors for more people. That they feel more comfortable being out. Especially in the hip-hop community.

I am so passionate about representation because, growing up, I didn't see myself, and now people can say, 'I see myself there.' We're all trying to find where we are.

We need to reach out to more Canadians to show them that they could see themselves reflected in our party.

Nothing will ever outshine, for me, the countless children whose eyes and imaginations I've seen light up when meeting Black Santa and understanding that there's a character of pure good out there that represents them.

There's room for everyone, and everyone is wanted and needed. Whoopi showed me that. When I first saw 'The Color Purple,' it was so huge. That was the first time I had seen myself, my mother, my aunts, women that I had known my whole life on-screen. It gives us hope, and it gives us confidence.

I like the idea of a broader range of people feeling seen.

It's not about just diversity; it's about authenticity. Audiences are really excited to see more of themselves on the screen.

There is power in seeing a face that looks like yours do something, be someone. There is power in moving from the sidelines to the center.

In the Royal Ballet Company, there was a Japanese principal dancer, and onstage and in ballet, they have colorblind castings - so I did see Asian dancers, and they were always my favorite. When you have someone who looks like you, it's something you can kind of grab onto, and it makes you feel better about your place in the world.

It's important to see yourself represented.

Seeing someone that you can relate to in the media is everything as a child, and a lot of people are not granted that luxury.

Representation is very important to everyone, but especially to girls like me, and people like me, whether it be because of my body, because of my race, because of my skin color, because of my awkwardness or where I come from.

I am a super-confident writer, and as a joke writer and as an actress, I'm like, 'I want to go head-to-head with every person.' I am an Indian woman and I'm a kind of double minority in this world.

I hope that every film I make has something to offer in the area of making people feel either vindicated or different in terms of who they are.

For those of you who are underrepresented in technology, know that you've always been here. Look in photos and see yourself reflecting back.

I'm ready to be an action figure. I'd love that very much. And all the redheaded kids will get to go out and feel loved and be able to buy a redheaded action figure.

I feel I'll take on the responsibility of showing the world a whole different kind of Latin woman.