Growing up in this post-apartheid era, the first generation of teens in South Africa living in this new democracy, I often found myself feeling different. I was often the only person of color in an otherwise all-white school. And within the Indian community, because of my training with an English acting teacher, my accent was very different.

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All my life, I faced sexism and racism and then, when I hit 40, ageism. - Rita Moreno

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I'm not afraid of color. I like color. - Rita Moreno

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When I was a little girl, there was no Variety Latino. When I was a little girl, there was no nothing. There were very few roles for people like myself. - Rita Moreno

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I live in the moment. The moment is the most important thing. That's my entire philosophy: Make the best of the good moments. - Rita Moreno

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I loved being in the film called 'Carnal Knowledge' - the one with Jack Nicholson, which was very dark but a really brilliant movie. I loved being in 'The Ritz.' 'The Ritz' I think is just hilarious. I just saw it again recently and by God, it's still funny! - Rita Moreno

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Lupe Velez was way before me; Dolores Del Rio was way before me, so I had no one. So the only one I could think of that I identified with was this gorgeous creature named Elizabeth Taylor, so she became my role model. - Rita Moreno

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When you engage your brain, it just keeps getting fatter and richer and wonderful. - Rita Moreno

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I grew up as a child who felt she was very inferior to everyone else. - Rita Moreno

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Bigger than life is not difficult for me. I am bigger than life. - Rita Moreno

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