Marley Dias

“Every time I've heard Ava DuVernay speak, I have learned so much.”

“I am unapologetic about the need for social change, greater inclusion, and equity.”

“My mom was born in Jamaica and has always been around a community of black people, so she encouraged me to get out and act. My dad, on the other hand, is from suburban Massachusetts, so he had not been around a lot of black people.”

“I am purposeful in how I present myself to the world. I want my ideas to be taken seriously, and so I present myself in a way that allows people to see me and listen to what I have to say.”

“I think the biggest thing, where my passionate-ness comes from, is that I love reading, and it is something that I really care about.”

“Yes, you can be passionate about school and fashion simultaneously. The two are not mutually exclusive - one doesn't cancel out the other.”

“My parents have taught me the value of reading and self-love through books that have characters that look like me and talk like me.”

“I think reading about black girls if you are a black girl is important. And for those who don't like to read, seeing yourself in a book can help them learn to love it.”

“I travel a lot, so I know that it's important to have people in your life to keep you ground.”

“When I create a story, I can make it however funny, sad, or happy I want it to be. And when I read, I feel like I'm in the story, and I get to experience it. It feels like I'm watching someone else do something, but I'm doing the thing that the character is doing as well.”

“Frustration is fuel that can lead to the development of an innovative and useful idea.”

“When you are reading about a book, you focus on the main character, of course. When you have something in common with them and connect with them, you remember the lessons they learned, and then you can apply them to your life. So you can live the best life you can.”

“Like feminism, I want to create systems and structures for the equity for all people, especially girls and women.”

“Reading has been a part of my life ever since I was born.”

“For kids in 2nd or 3rd grade, I would recommend the 'Dear America' series. Most of the stories in the 'Dear America' series, if they have black girls, are about them being enslaved, but they escape or do something really adventurous.”

“Anyone can change the world however they want for the better!”

“I want young girls to know that their passions are important and that they should pursue them, regardless of whether or not they think that they'll be successful in terms of the mainstream.”

“My parents taught me the importance of telling the truth no matter what.”

“As members of society, we should always be pushing our girls to strive to be the best and to speak up and out about issues we see.”

“Social actions means that you find an issue in your community, and you create an initiative to solve that issue or to help people.”