“I feel very firmly that, in as much as I exist, I have a right to be here. And I have a right therefore to express what it is that I affirm and love about being here. This is fundamental. I mean, I’m like any other plant, any other tree, any other creation on the planet. I see no reason to feel in any way hindered in expressing my essence, my being. I mean, if I were a rose, I would be doing what a rose does. So I would just say to any young writer, poet, painter, dancer, whoever, of whatever hue, shade, form, to believe that you have a right to be the self that you feel.” – Alice Walker
(Coming this weekend: my first Round of Words in 80 Days post…ever!)
