"When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."

"Art is not living. It is the use of living."

"It's a struggle but that's why we exist, so that another generation of Lesbians of color will not have to invent themselves, or their history, all over again."

"There's always someone asking you to underline one piece of yourself - whether it's Black, woman, mother, dyke, teacher, etc. - because that's the piece that they need to key in to. They want to dismiss everything else."

"There's something about marriage that is not as intensely romantic or interesting as a couple's first meeting."

"But when you're deprived of it for a lengthy period then you value human companionship. But you have to survive and so you devise all kinds of mental exercises and it's amazing."

"Mistakes are the usual bridge between inexperience and wisdom."

"Thrift is of great revenue."