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. Anna Deavere Smith afraiddayemotionally Change image and share on social
I'm interested when things are upside down - because there are so many possibilities in that one moment. There is a lot that is exposed. Anna Deavere Smith exposeinterestlot Change image and share on social
I see myself first and foremost as a student of expression. Anna Deavere Smith expressionforemoststudent Change image and share on social
Not that many people, even contemporary writers, write about right now. Anna Deavere Smith contemporarypeoplewrite Change image and share on social
I made a real specific decision when I came out of school and most artists were writing about home - if you were a woman, you were writing about being a woman - and I decided not to do that, write about what you know. That's not what I do. I went as far away from home as possible in terms of the development of my imagination. Anna Deavere Smith artistdecidedecision share on social
President Obama called for a 'we' nation in his Inauguration Address. Art convenes. It is not just inspirational. It is aspirational. It pricks the walls of our compartmentalized minds, opens our hearts and makes us brave. And that's what we need most in our country today. Anna Deavere Smith addressartaspirational share on social
Making your life is ultimately an extraordinarily creative endeavor. Anna Deavere Smith creativeendeavorextraordinarily Change image and share on social
A lot of acting techniques are very self-oriented. Anna Deavere Smith actlotorient Change image and share on social
Somehow we can't live outside the politics of race. There's something very deep in all of us, that is taught to us when we are very, very little. Which is the disrespect and fear of the other. Anna Deavere Smith deepdisrespectfear Change image and share on social
In my profession, I'm around a lot of people whose bodies are their instruments in one way or another. Anna Deavere Smith bodyinstrumentlot Change image and share on social