If you can't have a good time and smile and relate to people across race and class, then the success that you have ultimately is just sounding brass and tinkling symbol.

There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. There is a bigger price for living a lie.

You can't lead the people if you don't love the people. You can't save the people if you don't serve the people.

Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public

Empathy is not simply a matter of trying to imagine what others are going through, but having the will to muster enough courage to do something about it. In a way, empathy is predicated upon hope.

Too many young folk have addiction to superficial things and not enough conviction for substantial things like justice, truth and love.

None of us alone can save the nation or the world. But each of us can make a positive difference if we commit ourselves to do so. (p. 109)

The greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of inspiration.

We have to recognise that there cannot be relationships unless there is commitment, unless there is loyalty, unless there is love, patience, persistence.

We are who we are because somebody loved us.

A fully functional multiracial society cannot be achieved without a sense of history and open, honest dialogue.

I think the comments about me being a shill for leadership are beyond the pale.

Vetting and verifying information is one thing. Having our government sending out conflicting messages to the American people when conflict can be avoided is another.

If the audience knew what they wanted then they wouldn't be the audience, they would be the artist.

A great piece of literature encompasses all that is and all that will be.

I must say the more interesting songs to me were the black ones because they were more simple.

It was a strike against me that I didn't wear baggy jeans and jerseys and that I never hustled, never sold drugs.

I like that kind of 'straight-faced' comedy. I like to be straight-faced and outrageous.

Colour is, on the evidence of language alone, very bound up with the feelings.

About the only good thing you can say about old age is, it's better than being dead!

I've loved comics since I was a kid, collected them, I've always dreamed of being involved in comics.