What's 'Atlanta' about? Technically, it's about a couple guys who are friends, but to me, 'Atlanta' is about black lives. I'm getting a real look at what black life means in Atlanta.

For me, it's about making art that's not good but phenomenal. James Baldwin didn't want to just stay above the fray. Prince didn't think, 'I wonder what the industry is gonna think about 'Purple Rain.'' It's just, is this honest? Is this real? Does this move me? The rest is icing.

The cool thing about dope black style becoming in style is that the industry has no choice but to try and reduplicate that.

Even white people are tired of watching white people's shows.

I'm proud to carry that torch and be like, 'I'm gay! I'm black! Hang your dreams on me. Hang your hopes on me. I'll carry them to the best of my ability.'

I wrote 'Twenties' back in 2009. I always wanted to tell a story where a queer black woman was the protagonist, and I'm so grateful to TBS for giving me a platform to tell this story.

With 'The Chi,' it's me observing my own city and also pulling some things from themes I've dealt with in my life.

I love a web series. But to me, it does the girl in Detroit a disservice who just watches television. It does a disservice to the girl on the south side of Chicago who doesn't go online.

Things meant to appeal to the masses usually end up appealing to no one.

My mother was born into a segregated America. How crazy is that?

I had a lot of great bosses - I worked for Gina Prince-Bythewood for two years, I worked for Ava Duvernay as a PA on her first narrative film, and I worked with Mara Brock Akil, so a lot of wonderful role models.

As a black woman in the industry, you really do have to hold your head higher, stick your chest out, be kind and polite and generous even when you don't want to be sometimes. I learned that and, also, just to never take no for an answer.

I'm a huge fan of television, and the reason I'm a part of the world is because I'm a fan of it.

I'm a big fan of Nora Ephron, who believed everything is copy, and I agree.

I was such a fan of Aziz. I watched 'Parks and Rec' like every other self-respecting hipster and loved his character so much and just thought he was so interesting.

I've never been a person that has had fear of, like, 'Oh, I don't want to be the poster child for all black lesbian women.' I don't know. I want to be someone in the public eye that they can be proud of.

I just really want be proud of the work I'm doing, whether it's something I've written, produced, or am starring in. I just want to be proud of it.

Like 'Sex and the City' - if you're a New Yorker, you knew half the places they were going to. I want 'The Chi' to feel that way as well.

Every black man in Chicago walks through the world differently, and I think what young black boys do is observe, and that's what gives them their road map.

I actually don't like saying 'lead character,' which is an interesting thing. If you say there's a lead, then there has to be someone to follow.

I think it's so trite to say you have lead characters. It's like someone saying I'm the lead in my life.

I'm a black woman, so I'm obviously not going to write something where women aren't at the forefront.

I got into the business because I love writing. When it came down to finding my voice, which every writer has to take time to do, I think I realized I write black people very well. I write us in a very honest way, and I want to hear the way we really talk.

I feel like I wanna have a series of moments. It's scary when they say you're having a moment, because moments are momentary.

I'm very grateful that I'm the kind of actor where I'm not some character actor. I can't disappear into a world.

The thing for me is to always tell the truth. Not to preach, but to tell the truth.

I don't need an Emmy to tell me to go to work. I've been working.

You have to write and develop and wait for the world to catch up to your art.

When you're not as accessible, you get in a tent and get in your own head, and you start doing things that are a little out of touch. I think we've seen it happen with certain artists... people can't touch them; they're not touching people. They're only touching people in their circle.

I never want to feel too far away from people. I think that's when you get in trouble.

There's so many other talented women of color who write funny things every day, and I want them to be recognized, I want them to have a seat at the table because we're out here.

All the writers for 'The Chi,' they're all phenomenal, so I'm just working on projects with them. They have great scripts.

There's a lot of Donald Glovers, Jordan Peeles, Justin Simiens. And there's a lot of me's, too.

Wearing one hoop earring and playing with the androgyny - that's who I am. That's what I like to do. And I feel the world should see that. I'm not going to put a shield up or be more feminine to make people feel comfortable.

If you think you aren't valid for whatever reason, let my existence and the way the world embraces my existence tell you that you are valid. You deserve to look, live, and walk through the world however you see fit. That's why I find it extremely important to be so out, so black, and so myself.

When people think of the South Side of Chicago, they don't think about where I'm from. It was sort of a pocket: this idyllic community of black people who took care of each other, knew each other, spent time with each other.

I've been obsessed with television since I was 7 years old, and I've always been writing on some level.

I am always searching for something different or something fresh, something hasn't been done. But the truth is, at the end of the day, we're all sort of retelling something. We're doing a version of something that's already been done.

'The Breakfast Club' was one of my favorites.

Always maintain your composure.

I watched a ton of TV because I was raised by a single mom and spent a lot of time with my grandmother. Like most grandparents do, she would spend hours and hours in front of the TV box.

It's weird because I see black gay characters on television all the time, but do I relate to them? Not always, because they're set pieces.

With success always comes mimicry.

I always love where I can plug a black woman in anywhere, and when that comes up, I don't say, 'Oh that has to be a black woman.' I say, 'Why not a black woman?'

I don't like beating people on the head with the message. I don't like standing on the soapbox.

I can't stop my comedic voice.

My aesthetic is very black.

Growing up, I didn't just watch 'The Cosby Show.' I watched 'Growing Pains' and 'Family Ties,' too.

For me, my brand is good storytelling.

I love basketball! When I'm flying, and I have on sweats, a hat, and sneakers, people always assume that I'm a high school kid going to an away game. And I always say no, I'm a fan of the game.