Language Is a Place of Struggle Great Quotes by People of Color

Wisdom, wit, and inspiration from Asian Americans, African Americans, Latinos, Arab Americans, American Indians, recent immigrants, and many others "Language Is a Place of Struggle" is the first truly multiracial and polycultural quote book, collecting quotations from both historical and contemporary novelists and poets, activists and political leaders, and artists and musicians. With more than fifteen hundred quotations, this exceptional book covers a broad spectrum: from the role of spirituality to words inciting social change and justice; from the impact of colonization, slavery, and racism to writing on gender, sexuality, and identity. The quotes show how people of color in the United States have been shaped by various community histories, ongoing political and cultural struggles, and personal evolutions. An invaluable tool for speechwriters, educators, ministers, and librarians, accessibly organized for all readers, this entertaining and thought-provoking book is a much-needed resource for anyone interested in multicultural issues. Here you'll find: Gloria Anzaldua on borders and margins; Margaret Cho on failure and success; Edwidge Danticat on women who write; Junot Diaz on masculinity; Vine Deloria, Jr., on activism; Suheir Hammad on miscegenation and identity; bell hooks on identity and oppression; Edward P. Jones on the system of racism; Philip Vera Cruz on leadership; Chogyam Trungpa on spiritual materialism; and many more.

Tram Nguyen is the author of We Are All Suspects Now: Untold Stories from Immigrant Communities after 9/11. She lives in Oakland, California.