Diane M.

“Most people write me off when they see me.
They do not know my story.
They say I am just an African.
They judge me before they get to know me.
What they do not know is
The pride I have in the blood that runs through my veins;
The pride I have in my rich culture and the history of my people;
The pride I have in my strong family ties and the deep connection to my community;
The pride I have in the African music, African art, and African dance;
The pride I have in my name and the meaning behind it.
Just as my name has meaning, I too will live my life with meaning.
So you think I am nothing?
Don’t worry about what I am now,
For what I will be, I am gradually becoming.
I will raise my head high wherever I go
Because of my African pride,
And nobody will take that away from me.”
― idowu koyenikan, Wealth for all Africans: How Every African Can Live the Life of Their Dreams

“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.”
― Maya Angelou

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to ignore him.

“Probably something that you want.”

I rolled my eyes at the emphasis of the word you.

“And what would I want?” I asked.

“To go back to Africa. If you want to live in America as if it's Africa, then you might as well go back to Africa.”

“Go BACK?” I asked, emphasizing my incredulity at the sound of the word back.

“Isn’t that where you came from?”

“I mean… I could see it in my ancestry… my parents were of African decency… but I was born in America, and I am legally an American citizen.”
― Lucy Carter, The Reformation

“The meek may one day inherit the earth, but not the headlines.”
― Indira Gandhi