Describe the impact other cultures have had on you.
The first place I ever went to abroad was Paris. Paris had an impact on me when I lived there. I got the opportunity to be in another country and to try different foods, another language, and also to see how blessed I am to be an American. When I was living in Paris and I would say I am from New York or America they would say “Oh my god, that’s my dream one day to go to America.” I didn’t know it was such a big deal until I started traveling. [Americans] take so much for granted. Even at our worst, America is an amazing place to live. As much as I like traveling, there is nothing like flying back to JFK.
What are your favorite dishes to eat?
My favorite food is Japanese. I am a big sushi girl.
Where in the world would you like to travel?
I still have a lot on my list. I want to go to Greece. I want to go to Thailand. I want to go to Japan. The list is endless. Every year I take a trip for two weeks.
When you are relaxing, what type of music do you listen to?
I love Usher. I love R. Kelly … John Legend … I also like hip-hop — Kanye West. Of course, I like Beyoncé’s music. I am pretty much just an R&B girl.
What social causes or issues do you champion? Why?
You know my heart just breaks when I hear on the news that a kid has hung himself because [he] has been tormented in school. As a parent you go all out to protect your kid but you can’t protect them at school. It’s always the parent saying, “I had no idea, I thought everything was OK.”
I like to bring awareness to a lot of causes. I have friends affected by breast cancer and HIV. I support everything that needs to bring knowledge and information to causes that are important.
