"Yes, Mother. I can see you are flawed. You have not hidden it. That is your greatest gift to me."

"I think writing really helps you heal yourself. I think if you write long enough, you will be a healthy person. That is, if you write what you need to write, as opposed to what will make money, or what will make fame."

"It is justice and respect that I want the world to dust off and put - without delay, and with tenderness - back on the head of the Palestinian child. It will be imperfect justice and respect because the injustice and disrespect have been so severe. But I believe we are right to try."

"In my work and in myself I reflect black people, women and men, as I reflect others. One day even the most self-protective ones will look into the mirror I provide and not be afraid."

"It is a enduring truth that true authority is measured not by subjugation, but by the empowerment of others."

"Strength does not come from winning, but from knowing that the greatest battles are fought within."

"Bloomberg's $50 million is not going to revolutionize the electric power industry. But his willingness to fight is already inspiring others to see Big Coal differently."

"Never underestimate the power of the strength of a community lies in its compassion."