I'm really saddened by the attempts to separate and polarize. This is a time when we have hungry people, people out of work, and people out of spirit. This is a time where we need to uplift, not to separate.

A wise woman wishes to be no one's enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone's victim.

Intelligence is a separate gift, for the benefit of students, so that they may think of themselves as intellectual and not very intelligent, or intelligent and not very intellectual. One hopes, of course, that they try to bring the two virtues, the two elements, into their lives at the same time.

The most difficult thing in the world, it seems to me, is to realize that I am a child of God; to keep that in my mind all the time.

All of my history as an African-American woman, as a Jewish woman, as a Muslim woman. I'm bringing everything I ever knew, and all the stories I've read - everything good, strong, kind and powerful. I bring it all with me into every situation, and I will not allow my life to be minimized by anybody's racism or sexism or ageism.

You dwell in whitened castles with deep and poisoned moats and cannot hear the curses which fill your children's throats.

As soon as healing takes place, go out and heal somebody else.