What a waste my life would be without all the beautiful mistakes I've made.

I don't think I have rebelled against Latina culture. I have rebelled against those who try to make me warm tortillas for my brothers when they can warm them for themselves, I have rebelled against a patriarchal religion. I rebel against small mindedness in all ways and in every situation but those things are not an intrinsic part of Latina culture and I will fight tooth and nail against anyone who tries to make me feel like I'm less Xicana for not embracing the small-mindedness.

If Jesus himself, or Mohammed, or Buddha spoke to me personally and said that women are inferior to men, I would still reject that as false dogma because I know with every ounce of my being that this is not true.

If you're not smiling at yourself in the mirror, you probably need to check that the life you're building is aligned to the life you dreamed for yourself. And if you're not dreaming, you need to start dreaming.

The longer you live, the more dreams you should have to keep you occupied.

If anyone hits me, they can expect to be hit back, and harder. I never turn the other cheek because in my experience that doesn't work.

I was not a popular girl, so being able to create punk who didn't have to be beautiful in the mainstream way helped me to get in touch with sexuality and become comfortable with the idea that I didn't have to look like Farrah Fawcett to feel attractive, to feel sexual power.