Quotes About Autonomy

Being under my own roof, and my personality not invaded by others makes a lot of difference in my outlook on life and everything. Oh, to be once more alone in a house!

Naw! Mah own mind had tuh be squeezed and crowded out tuh make room for yours in me.

Two things everybody's got tuh do fuh theyselves. They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves.

You mean uh whole town uh nothin' but colored folks? Who bosses it, den? Dey bosses it deyself. You mean dey runnin' de town 'thout de white folks? Sho is. Eben got a mayor and corporation. Ah sho wants tuh see dat sight.

You tries tuh be so much-knowin'. You got tuh learn how tuh speak when you spokin to, come when youse called. Ah ain't got tuh do but two things--stay black and die, Sister Berry snapped.

The theory behind our [Negro] tactics: The white man is always trying to know into somebody else's business. All right, I'll set something outside the door of my mind for him to play with and handle. He can read my writing but he sho' can't read my mind. I'll put this play to in his hand, and he will seize it and go away. Then I'll say my say and sing my song.

Tite gives me absolute freedom to do what I have always done throughout my career.

I think it's especially hard when you start at an academy, because everything is decided for you. And then when you go with U.S.T.A., there's only so many decisions you can make.

I've accomplished more working on my own than I ever did as part of a team.

I work of my own accord. I don't want to work with restraints or worry what Jose thinks.

I like doing my own errands. I feel like they are very personal and it makes me feel like I achieved a lot that day.

Everything I've ever achieved, I've done on my terms.

All my achievements - even if they may seem small - are mine. No one has contributed to them.

I think people have to take responsibility for their own actions.

Without private thoughts and actions, we can never truly be free.

I'm too old to adapt to somebody else's ways.

There are great advantages of making things on the independent market. There's freedom and control there, and kind of a cleanness to the process that I like.

I don't think anybody can be told how to act. I think you can give advice. But you have to find your own way through it.

Don't take too much advice.

My kids are free to do what ever they want. Because I only advise. I don't make them do anything.

Be your own advocate.

No one is mediating aesthetic choices on an OPN album other than myself.

I don't let people affect me.

Why we give power to others that they can affect us so much?