"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."

"I am not interested in being a human being. I am interested in being a Black human being."

"The very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you s…"

"Navigating without a compass, which is to say, without a clear idea of what is right and what is wrong, is a dangerous business."

"A writer's life is not about writing. It's about living."