Liya Kebede

“I think, first of all, every time you want to play somebody who is real is always challenging and always scary, because you are given a responsibility of someone's real life.”

“It's one thing to donate money. It's a whole other thing to give an opportunity for someone to make his own money.”

“Dying in childbirth is something that's not new; it's been going on for ages, and so it's not something that people focus on; it's not something that gets funded a lot, and it's exactly for that reason that we are losing mothers all the time, and we have kids with no mothers.”

“In a hundred years, how do you want the world to be? Everybody should get together to make the world a better place.”

“I always loved having the chance to disappear in a story. I always was kind of obsessed with that.”

“I tend to gravitate toward Proenza Schouler and Alexander Wang. Their designs are accessible and easy.”

“Children with healthy mothers are much more likely to survive childhood, attend school and live healthy, productive lives.”

“I actually started modeling in Ethiopia, because that's where I grew up, and I started out by just doing little fashion shows for school, and I liked it so much that I started pursuing it.”

“Doing designs on a loom takes a lot of talent and experience, and, trust me, I won't be able to do that.”

“I really don't think there should be a movie about me. That's for sure!”

“I'm Christian. Growing up in Ethiopia, it's half-Christian and half-Muslim. You grow up with Muslim kids. I'm very much aware of their religion.”

“In 1967, the world health community launched a global effort to eradicate smallpox. It took a coordinated, worldwide effort, required the commitment of every government, and cost $130 million dollars. By 1977, smallpox had disappeared.”

“No other health disparity is so stark; virtually every woman who dies giving birth lives in a poor country.”

“First I became U.N. Goodwill Ambassador for WHO, and that was in 2005. And then, about a year or so later, I decided to start my foundation.”

“Creative new health strategies like micro-insurance for poor people or Kangaroo care for pre-term babies are transforming health outcomes in even the most low-resource settings. Dedication and innovation are transforming health care worldwide.”

“Take good care of your skin and hydrate. If you have good skin, everything else will fall into place.”

“Helping others isn't a chore; it is one of the greatest gifts there is.”

“I want to spend as much time as possible with my children, so I always like to keep my beauty and fashion routines effortless... but still chic!”

“If nothing else, I want women to understand that they are powerful. If you look back at history, in almost every big moment, in every leap forward, you find ordinary women at the core. We have more ability to make changes in the world than we can imagine if we have the courage to try.”

“I can contribute, be valuable, and grow in many ways, since my interests are so varied. That is very satisfying.”