"We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided."

"I'm not a religious person. I'm a spiritual person. I believe in a higher power, but I don't believe in organized religion."

"The first time I read a book, I cried. The first time I wrote a book, I cried. It's a wonderful feeling."

"I'm a survivor. I'm a black woman. I am a writer. I am a poet. I am a dancer. I am a singer. I am a cook. I am a mother. I am a lover. I am a friend. I am a human being. I am a lot of things. And I'm …"

"I'm not a victim of racism. I'm a survivor of racism. And I'm going to continue to fight against it."