'Insecure' Star Yvonne Orji On Inspiring The Next Generation Of Immigrant Children: "I Hope They Say 'I Can Do It Too'"

Yvonne Orji has come a long way from her homeland of Nigeria.

Raised in Maryland by her immigrant parents, the Insecure actress shared that attending her first ever ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood event, for the tenth anniversary no less, is a dream come true. 

“I am so happy to be here because I have been dreaming of this moment,” said the star on the red carpet. “I have seen myself here before I got here and the fact that this year I get invited, I’m just so honored because all these people that I have admired and looked up to — they’re all here!”

Knowing that she’s an inspiration to little girls around the world is something she describes as “brazy,” a hilarious quip from her hit HBO show, because her Nigerian background didn’t expose her to the bright lights of Tinsel Town. 

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“I didn’t grow up on TV, my parents were as immigrant as they come!,” she said jokingly.

“You must study, you must read your books! I grew up on books and the fact that I’m here in Hollywood living out my Hollywood dream…I hope the next generation of immigrant kids can say, ‘you know someone else is doing it, they’re not necessarily on a traditional path and they’re being successful on whatever they’re doing, I think I can do it too,’ so that’s a blessing because I need those people in my life.”

Well said Yvonne!