Sandra Cisneros

In English, my name means hope. In Spanish, it means too many letters. It means sadness. It means waiting. It is like the number nine, a muddy color.

'Hispanic' is English for a person of Latino origin who wants to be accepted by the white status quo. 'Latino' is the word we have always used for ourselves.

My father always defined my gender to my brothers. He'd say, 'This is your sister; you must take care of her.'

All true language is incomprehensible, like the chatter of a beggar's teeth.

What I find is most people have a civics book understanding for how Congress works and how a bill moves.

Realistically speaking, I don't know how many more years I will want to be acting or will be invited to be.