Tiphanie Yanique

"I cannot explain to you the sensation of drowning. Suffice it to say that it is not peaceful, not tranquil, not even very dramatic, but rather an ongoing tragedy of gargling, choking, spewing out water, gasping for breath."

"It is not only a question of whether the American way of life is superior, but whether the American way of life is sustainable. Can we really continue to exploit the resources of the Caribbean for our own benefit without consequences?"

"America is not the only country in the world, nor is it the best. It is a new country, with new ways, but it is not the only way, nor is it the best way."

"We all have our own island, the one we carry with us wherever we go."

"What right did these white people have to be here in the first place, stealing our land and making our people slaves? And now they have the audacity to try to buy us back from the French like we are nothing more than property?"

"We live in a world where the powerful can do what they want and the rest of us just have to accept it"