Today, more people are crossing various borders in order to survive, thrive, change their lives. Even if you don't cross the border, with demographic shifts, the border sometimes crosses you.

America's story is largely an immigrant story. That hasn't changed since the Pilgrims ate their first turkey some four hundred years ago, and they were the original boat people.

I think in a larger sense, immigrant narrative is comprehensive and speaks to the core of human experience.

I am glad to see the wheels are moving at last toward comprehensive immigration reform after last year's election. I am glad that immigrants are speaking up.

Art is the lesser sister to medicine. It aims to heal.

In the war on terrorism, the immigrant is often the scapegoat.

That experience of losing home, longing for home, that yearning for meaning and rootedness and identity in a floating world, it's what often makes an immigrant story into an American story .

Precious things lost are transmutable. They refuse oblivion. They simply wait to be rendered into testimonies, into stories and songs.

It's unfortunate that the country of immigrants has turned its back on immigrants. The atmosphere after 9/11 is toxic.

In non-fiction you have to stay true to historical events, be they personal or national .

I am hopeful that the pendulum swings toward seeing immigrants in favorable terms once more.

The monster nevers dies.

I found myself wishing that we could live like the birds and move through nature without hurting it ourselves.

I didn't have a great grasp of what guys considered a "come hither" look, so maybe I gave him one. I'd thought it was a "leave me the hell alone" look, but who knew. ~ Lana from Moonlight

Where we are going is touching the invisible, invisible becoming visible...

...every piece of the laughing was a tiny bird come tumbling out to fly around the room.

The only real problem in life is what to do next.

As the warden of San Quentin, I presided over four executions. After each one, someone on the staff would ask, 'Is the world safer because of what we did tonight?' We knew the answer: No.

I refuse to accept that the shackles of slavery can ever be stronger than the quest for freedom.

I love teaching. I wouldn't take a job that didn't include it.

I would love a recurring role on '90210.' I would say yes to just about any role in acting that doesn't tarnish my image.