"I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back."

"I'm not a guru. I'm a human being who has learned a few things, and I'm willing to share them."

"I have a lot of anger, but I don't let it consume me. I use it to fuel my work."

"I'm not a victim. I'm a survivor. And I'm not going to be a victim of America, or of racism, or of sexism, or of ageism, or of any other -ism."

"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 …"