"The quality of strength is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. And sometimes, the triumph is just deciding to get out of bed."

"I believe that integrity is the most important thing a person can have. And I believe that integrity can make you strong."

"I'm not a victim of my past. I'm a survivor of my past. And I'm going to use my past to help others."

"I've learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it."

"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 …"