"I always say that I'm a human being, and I'm a woman, and I'm a black woman, and I'm a writer, and I'm a poet, and I'm a dancer, and I'm a singer, and I'm a mother, and I'm a grandmother, and I'm a gr…"

"I've learned that it is by acts and not by ideas that people live."

"I've learned that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades, and there had better be a enduring love to take its place."

"My great-grandmother told me, 'If you're going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can't be erased.' And then she added, 'But make sure it's not a skid mark.'"

"I've learned that a person doesn't have to be perfect to be appreciated."