Brooks is best known for her portrayal of the character Maya Wilkes, Joan's former sharp-tongued secretary and now acclaimed author, on the CW sitcom "Girlfriends", in which she starred alongside Tracee Ellis Ross, Persia White and Jill Marie Jones from 2000 to 2008. In 2001, she appeared in an episode of "Moesha", portraying Maya Wilkes. Brooks also directed the 2006 episode titled "Hustle & Dough," and wrote the 2007 episode titled "Snap Back," which featured guest star Erykah Badu. The character of Maya is portrayed to be several years younger than the other characters Joan, Toni, and Lynn, however, in reality, Brooks is actually the eldest of the four actors. For her performance in "Girlfriends", Brooks received BET Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2004, and well as two nominations for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series in 2003 and 2008.