Anna Deavere Smith Quotes

Even jealousy is based on fantasies: a fantasy that someone else has what belongs to you.

Self-esteem does not come from surrounding yourself with people and things that seem to increase your value. Real self-esteem is an integration of an inner-value with things in the world around you.

Confidence is the mark of a hopeful disposition.

I think that art is supposed to be ahead of the times.

Learning is a tunnel experience that makes us think more broadly.

I am not myself; I am the potential of myself.

I happen to be a hopeaholic. I tend to look at problems as an opportunity to do some work.

Identity is an assemblage of constellations.

Listening is not just hearing what someone tells you word for word. You have to listen with a heart. I don’t want that to sound touchy-feely; it is not. It is very hard work.

Suddenly in high school, I’m in a predominantly Jewish atmosphere. Jewish people were my gate to white America.

If I do three interviews in a day, I can be exhausted, because the process of hearing everyone requires that I empty out myself. While I’m listening, my own judgments and prejudices certainly come up. But I know I won’t get anything unless I get those things out of the way.

Many people are afraid to talk about race because it’s so emotionally loaded. We don’t have the vocabulary to talk about it. Every day, our vocabulary seems more and more inadequate.