Brooks has been featured in many films and television shows. She was also featured in the 50 Cent music video for "Straight to the Bank." On television, she appeared in a 2000 episode of "The Jamie Foxx Show" as a girl named Nancy, whom Jamie confuses with Fancy. In 2001, she appeared in an episode of Moesha, portraying her "Girlfriends" character Maya Wilkes. She also appeared in an episode of Pete and Pete, playing big Pete's love interest Heather. In the film "Beauty Shop," she appeared alongside Queen Latifah, Alicia Silverstone, and Kevin Bacon. She was also featured in the movie "Motives," co-starring with Vivica Fox and Shemar Moore. In April 2011, the straight-to-DVD movie "The Inheritance" was released. Brooks co-stars in the horror/thriller along with Darrin Dewitt Henson, D.B. Woodside, Keith David and Rochelle Aytes. Additional projects include the 2009 films "Polish Bar" and "My Place in the Horror."
As a child she was a figure skating competitor and won several trophies. Brooks is also a classically trained dancer; she studied and taught ballet, jazz, and modern dance. Brooks studied literature and sociology, and is a graduate of UC Berkeley. She earned a master's degree from Sarah Lawrence College. She has a daughter with her former boyfriend D.B. Woodside, Dakota Tao Brooks-Woodside, born on September 1, 2009.
Brooks volunteers with the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and AIDS Project Los Angeles. She is active with actors such as Danny Glover in the Robey Theater Company.