Sonequa Martin-Green Has 'Settled Into' Her 'Worth as a Black Woman in a Way That I Would Not Have Imagined' (Exclusive)

"It has meant a great deal to stand in this position and to have, in a way, grown to fit the position," the actress told PEOPLE of playing Star Trek's first Black female captain

Sonequa Martin-Green is embracing her worth.

The actress portrays Star Trek: Discovery’s Michael Burnham, the first Black female captain in the long-running franchise, and recently spoke with PEOPLE about how the groundbreaking role has changed her.

"Since the impact that the show has had on my life has changed over time, it's really hard to answer that question because I feel a certain way about it right now, but I'm going to feel even differently a month from now,” Martin-Green, 38, said at SCAD TVFest in Atlanta on Feb. 8 when asked how being on the series has changed her career. “I'm going to feel even differently five years from now. And it's hard for me to say how it's impacted me when I know that there is still more to come from it.”

Reflecting, Martin-Green shared that playing the protagonist has helped her realize and accept a new level of “worth.”

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"I've settled into my worth as a Black woman in a way that I would not have imagined that was facilitated by the story, that was facilitated by playing Michael Burnham and then Captain Michael Burnham,” she continued. “And then, by the connections that I've made with the people that tell this story. Those connections, they're the kind that ripple throughout the rest of your life.”

Still, Martin-Green doesn’t plan on stopping — and said there’s room for even more personal evolution, telling PEOPLE, “It has meant a great deal to stand in this position and to have, in a way, grown to fit the position. And I'm still growing to fit it.”

She explained, “It's like on one hand I understand that I don't need to do that, but then at the same time it's like that position is greater than me, so I'll just always be growing into it.”

Related: Sonequa Martin-Green Reveals How Her Mother's Battle Against Cancer Inspires Her

The Walking Dead alum became emotional at the idea of being able to show her 9-year-old son, Kenric Justin III, the CBS series one day, giving him a chance to see her star as a Black lead.

“He hasn't seen it yet,” said Martin-Green, who shares Kenric III and 3-year-old daughter Saraiyah Chaunté with husband Kenric Green, 41. She added that she’s “excited” for the moment Kenric III and Saraiyah — who wasn’t born yet when Martin-Green began playing Captain Burnham — are ready to tune in to the series.

“I mean, I could really cry talking about what I might be able to lead by example, what I might be able to show them by example and teach them from what I've experienced and how they might benefit from it,” said the mom of two. “That's everything right there.”

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