There had been lots of crises in my life. And there was plenty of spunk and battle cry still left in me.

Basically there is no difference between whites and blacks, browns and yellows. I decided to think no more of people as Northerners and Southerners.

My aunts lived on liquor and seldom felt like eating much. I don't know what's wrong about a kid stealing when he's hungry.

You are a person of the greatest importance when you are a mother of the family.

I know the most terrible thing that can happen to a woman. That is the gang-up. Men put you to sleep with their drops and one man after another goes in and takes you.

Many people know how to criticize, but few know how to praise.

There's no hypocrisy in Hell's Kitchen.