Tiny Panda Quotes
Quotes by Anna Deavere Smith
Anna Deavere Smith is a groundbreaking American actress, playwright, and educator, renowned for her innovative approach to documentary theater. Born on April 18, 1950, in Baltimore, Maryland, she has masterfully blended performance art with social commentary, exploring complex issues such as race, ethnicity, and identity. Her acclaimed works, including "Fires in the Mirror" and "Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992," showcase her unique ability to capture the voices of diverse communities. Smith's commitment to exploring societal truths solidifies her legacy as a transformative force in American theater and dialogue.
5 quotes found
"President Obama called for a 'we' nation in his Inauguration Address. Art convenes. It is not just inspirational. It is aspirational. It pricks the walls of our compartmentalized minds, opens our hearts and makes us brave. And that's what we need most in our country today."
Anna Deavere Smith
"I made a real specific decision when I came out of school and most artists were writing about home - if you were a woman, you were writing about being a woman - and I decided not to do that, write about what you know. That's not what I do. I went as far away from home as possible in terms of the development of my imagination."
Anna Deavere Smith
"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"When I got out of acting school, I was lucky to have gotten any job at all. A lot of people hiring African American actresses - it was right after 'Roots,' and for society, not me, it was great. Nice richly dark-skinned people was the fashion, and I was not."
Anna Deavere Smith