People who live in difficult circumstances need to know that happy endings are possible. Page 1.

[On the desert:] The wind was a constant, and when you paid attention, it seemed like the earth's own breathing.

I'm young at heart. I'm young in spirit, and I'm still adventurous.

My mom loved the book [My beloved world] and she said to me, 'I never knew you had done so much.'

I had many reasons for writing memoir but among them was the hope that every Latino child and adult would find something familiar in it.

I am a New Yorker, and 7:00 A.M. is a civilized hour to finish the day, not to start it.

I am eternally grateful to all of the Latino groups outside of the Puerto Rican community, but including the Puerto-Rican community, who came to support me during the process [of nomination].