“If you’ve doubted your ability to survive, look where you came from. Don’t limit yourself to parents and grandparents, go all the way back to your roots. In your family line is the genius of those who were born into a barren land and built the pyramids. In the oasis of your minds is the consciousness of those who charted the stars, kept time by the sun and the moon. In the center of your being is the strength of those who planted crops, tilled the fields, and banqueted on what others discarded. In the light of your heart is the love of those who bore children who were sold away only to one day hang from a tree. In the cells of your bloodstream is the memory of those who weathered the voyage, stood on the blocks, found their way through the forest, and took their case to the Supreme Court. With what you’ve got going for you, what in the world are you worrying about?”

Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash