Quotes About Diversity

I was never a practicing Muslim. But I do consider myself a Muslim.

Islam is misunderstood by many. The extremists grab the headlines; those of us who want to practise our religion and live under this country's laws do not make the news.

I'm very much an Arab, although I need to practise my Arabic more.

'Sesame Street' early on and then 'Little House on the Prairie' was a big deal in our house. I always identified with 'Little House' because they were wanderers, and there was something about being an immigrant.

It is time to celebrate the New Black Americans - those who have sealed the Deal, who aren't beholden to liberal indulgence any more than they are to the disdain of the hard Right. It is time to praise blacks who are merely undeniable in their individuality and exemplary in their levels of achievement.

I think the word 'twink' is pejorative. There's something endemic about the gay community where we praise masculinity more than anything else.

White people have always slipped in and out of the experiences of people of color and been praised extravagantly for it.

If we want equality, we shouldn't then expect to be praised just because we're doing a certain job. That's not equality.

If I were to pray in Arabic, I'd pray to Allah. If I were to pray in English, I'd pray to God.

Gay folks go to church. We pray to the Lord too.

I still pray a lot. I still believe in God. I just don't believe in any set religion.

Usually in films, when Muslims pray, it's either before or after they've blown something up.

Before I go to those teams, I say, 'Hey, I'm a Muslim and I have to pray five times a day.' And they respect it so much that they give me a prayer room. So before the game, after the game, before practice, before I fly out, I can go to that room whenever I want and pray.

I have never forced anyone to offer prayers in the team or to keep a beard.

I am open and respect everyone's religious and spiritual choices because at the end of the day, in my opinion, I hope that we are all praying to the same God.

Well, it all depends on how you, you know, perceive the religion angle. I always say to each their own and I'd much rather have a guy that's going to be preaching religion as oppose a guy who's going to be shooting himself in the leg.

I think preaching equality among unequals is the worst form of discrimination.

I've done admin work, preaching and teaching, youth ministry, marital counseling, etc.

I don't walk around with a bible or preach to people and I don't want to disturb my team-mates on match days by praying in the dressing room, so I do that at the hotel before I leave. I respect their way of life and do not insist that my way is best. I have not tried to convert anybody.

I'd never go up to somebody and start preaching, but if somebody asks I'm willing to talk about it. Often, after people have seen me praying, they'll ask and it's a chance to show how normal prayer time is and why we do it, to teach people about the religion. Not to try to change them, but to explain.

I'm not some kind of preacher saying 'You have to have natural hair,' but for me it's easier.

There's really no precedent for someone like me gaining clout in the space that I'm in - a black woman directing films in Hollywood.

To represent the Latin American people - especially Latin American women... there's not many of us fighting. To be one of the ones that are able to set a precedent and to fight in Mexico is really amazing.

We all have different musical instincts, and I think they're precious and should be respected.