I couldn't stand living in a society that admires the emperor's new clothes, when I see so clearly that he is naked.

We humans are in such a strange position—we are still animals whose behavior reflects that of our ancestors, yet we are unique—unlike any other animal on earth. Our distinctiveness separates us and makes it easy to forget where we came from. Perhaps dogs help us remember the depth of our roots, reminding us—the animals at the other end of the leash—that we may be special, but we are not alone. No wonder we call them our best friends.

The fact that educated white women automatically assume that we have similar backgrounds annoys me. We don't. I feel like I'm in a certain kind of drag.

One of the principle things life has taught me is that we always have a choice. When we say we "can't," we usually mean we're just not willing to pay the price.

I had a naïve idea that if I could tell the story, people would be outraged and do something about conditions in the jails.

People think I'm educated because I talk and write well, but the fact is I never finished high school. I've read a lot, is all.

The only thing I remember writing in prison is a couple of poems for an inmate magazine they did once a year.