Queen Latifah shares thoughts on finding identity: ‘freedom to be me’

Queen Latifah has recently reflected on finding her “identity” over the years during an acceptance speech at the TheGrio Awards over the weekend.

“It all starts with the family for me. My parents raised me with the idea that Black is beautiful. Black is beautiful, Black is beautiful. Black is OK,” said the 52-year-old at the ceremony.

The Taxi actress stated, “You start saying it enough and you start believing me. And so I didn't realise at the time that what they were preparing me for was a whole world.”

Recalling the moment when boys and girls had “different rules, Latifah explained, “I didn't know I was a girl, initially, I had to be told that… 'Cause I was running around with my T-shirt off like the boys … I wanted to play the sports and all these things had to be explained to me because I was free.”

“And so my whole life would feel like I've been trying to maintain my freedom to be me,” remarked The Equalizer star.

During the speech, Latifah pointed out, “Life is fleeting and you just gotta do the best you can. Be as honest and genuine as you can.”

“Don't go for what people are trying to tell you about yourself. It's not true. I said, don't go for what people are trying to tell you about yourself,” she added.