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.

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.

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.

I think sometimes people believe what they want to believe. I personally thought I was going to marry Elton John. I was so out of my mind that I really thought that someday I'd meet him and we'd fall in love and live happily ever after.

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

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

I was full of energy, and I had a lot of bottled up rage that would come out in my stage performances. It was therapy sessions for someone who couldn't afford to go to therapy, a way to release my frustration, my inhibition. When I was little, growing up in an abusive household, I felt like I didn't have a voice. Suddenly I was on stage and people were watching me and listening to me, so even if I was singing about something that didn't have to do with abuse, when I was on stage I could express all of the anger, the rage.