"When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid."
— Audre Lorde

"If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive."
— Audre Lorde

"and when we speak we are afraid
our words will not be heard
nor welcomed
but when we are silent
we are still afraid
So it is better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive"
— Audre Lorde (The Black Unicorn: Poems)