Tyra Banks, the creator of 'America's Next Top Model,' reflected on the show's impact on diversity despite facing criticism.

Tyra Banks is speaking out again about the controversy surrounding America's Next Top Model, more than six years after her series ended its run after 24 seasons.

"We fought to bring diversity to that television show at a time when it didn’t exist, a time when people in the fashion industry were telling me, 'Oh, you putting girls from the hood on your show?' " Banks said.

I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked together on the Internet when there were 24 cycles of changing the world,” Banks said at a Feb. 27 awards show

Tyra Banks admitted to saying some "dumb sh*t" on her hit model competition reality show, but she didn't hesitate sharing the show's impact.

Tyra Banks accepts the Luminary Spotlight at Essence's 18th Annual Black Women in Hollywood Awards, acknowledging some of the more problematic aspects of her America's Next Top Model, but arguing that she and the show should be remembered more for its groundbreaking strides in representation.

Tyra Banks is aware of the criticism surrounding her long-running reality show America’s Next Top Model, but she refuses to tarnish its legacy. While accepting the first-ever Luminary Spotlight honor at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards on Thursday,

Tyra Banks acknowledged her past missteps on America’s Next Top Model during her speech at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards, stating: “I said some dumb shit.” The event recognized Banks as its inaugural Luminary Spotlight recipient on Feb.