Take a day to heal from the lies you've told yourself and the ones that have been told to you.

Don't hesitate to learn the most painful aspects of our history, understand it.

The black kids, the poor white kids, Spanish-speaking kids, and Asian kids in the US - in the face of everything to the contrary, they still bop and bump, shout and go to school somehow. Their optimism gives me hope.

I could fall in love with a sumo wrestler if he told stories and made me laugh. Obviously, it would be easier if someone was African-American and lived next door and went to the same church. Because then I wouldn't have to translate.

I am not competing with anyone other than myself. I want to be excellent at whatever I do.

You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.

At fifteen life had taught me undeniably that surrender, in its place, was as honorable as resistance, especially if one had no choice.