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
Each person has a literature inside them. Anna Deavere Smith insideliteratureperson Change image and share on social
We would like doctors to listen, but the fact is, we better be ready to be able to talk to them. You're going to have to be an active participant in that conversation, so I'd say the American people are going to need ways of stepping up to the conversation. Anna Deavere Smith activeamericanconversation share on social
Well, the terrible thing right now, and I don't know the statistics, but there's a growing concern in some communities about how rapidly people are sent from school to jail, how quickly they're put into the criminal justice system. And of course the rapidly growing number of brown people, both men and women, in prison. And this is terrible. Anna Deavere Smith browncommunityconcern share on social
I feel like my work has been my path to freedom from having grown up in a segregated environment. Anna Deavere Smith environmentfeelfreedom Change image and share on social
In my own life I'm frequently in predominantly white atmospheres. Anna Deavere Smith atmospherefrequentlylife 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
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
Not that many people, even contemporary writers, write about right now. Anna Deavere Smith contemporarypeoplewrite Change image and share on social
I mean, I think that - as an actress, in particular, I'm basically a fool, and I see the world upside down. Anna Deavere Smith actressbasicallyfool Change image and share on social