“As we continued with class, we began to think there's more to Wintu Qol than learning the language. Language is community, it's culture, it's who you are and how you connect with the community, your family, and your history.”
"It has been surprising to me to see how well a housing first model works! When people step up and take responsibility for themselves and make decisions for themselves, they're much more apt to follow through. They are doing what they want to do with their lives. There's hope in that."
"I told him I hadn’t brought a guitar and he sent me to borrow one from a woman who turned out to be Sarah Lee Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie's daughter. That was an incredible moment for me, to be standing in the Capitol Mall, on a stage, using Guthrie's guitar and singing one of my songs about Darfur.”
We're all here for a reason. We might not know what our purpose is, but we can do something nice for someone else or ourselves... We can talk to someone that is down and out. If I can give people hope, that's what I want to do.
“You get to know them, and they get to know you. It's so crazy and hella rewarding. That's all I'm saying. I love it.”
"Public libraries serve all people without distinction. I speak in grandiose terms, but I really believe this: libraries help sustain civilization."
“We don't talk politics and we don't talk religion in our group ...Discussions about politics or religion are causing tremendous division in our country today. I don't understand why everything has to be divisive."
“I'm taking care of their loved ones and the forgotten ones. If people don't have a lot of time to visit here, it will look nice when they come.”
“I think you get to a stage in life where you think, what is my purpose in life? . . . I'm trying to figure that out; but I believe we all have a purpose. And I think mine is working with the community and giving back. I've been feeling that in my heart and it makes me happy. There is a reward to giving back.”
“You don't have to do something wild outside of yourself. You just have to do something that's comfortable for you to do. . . . If you see something that needs to be done, and you feel like you could maybe do something there, step in and see what happens. I’ll bet there's going to be folks around that will guide you along and you can probably learn, too.”
