Clemantine Wamariya

“I'm not a victim - I'm a survivor of hunger, of hate, of different injustices that humans are facing today.”

“We need to examine hatred on a global perspective because hatred is everywhere, and it does not matter who you are: you can be a victim of it anywhere and anytime.”

“To the young girl who fails to see opportunities around her: Awaken the intellectual curiosity within you. Go on, search for those opportunities and chase after them! Because when you are curious and in 'search mode,' you will meet a lot of people and learn, and when you find opportunities, you will be exhilarated rather than overwhelmed.”

“I was six years old when the conflict started in Rwanda.”

“After my final semester at Yale in December of 2013, I made a scary choice. Instead of looking for work - feeling over-read and underweight - that for a few months I would go wherever the wind carried me. I would become a student of the world, and I would eat.”

“When you're in survival mode, you numb yourself.”

“I want to tap into everyone's senses, to touch on our human sensibility.”

“Every single person on the planet has equal humanity.”

“I don't think in a linear form.”

“My experiences have shown me that when an opportunity bigger than you comes along and you feel unprepared and doubtful, it is important to permit those emotions and let that energy drive you and inspire you to move forward.”

“Safety should be a birthright.”

“Always strive to be a better you for you and for other.”

“I truly hope readers learn to believe in their imaginations and their ability to shape their own lives. That's what 'The Girl Who Smiled Beads' means to me.”

“My formal speaking career began before a group of 10 third-graders. We drew pictures of my home in Rwanda. I told them about my mother's huge garden and our mango tree. The lessons I taught were simple. Play nicely. Take care of plants. Take care of people.”

“If we believe that a person seeking refuge is to be pitied, feared, despised, and looked down upon, we are doing ourselves a disservice.”

“As a child growing up in refugee camps, life taught me that many things were impossible. My older sister, Claire, taught me otherwise when her strength and resilience made the impossible possible in the way she worked, behaved, and took control of our lives.”

“I want to listen to people's stories and find strength in them. There is so much human-caused pain and suffering in the world. I want to honor all those difficult experiences and acknowledge their aftermath. At the same time, I want to really see and love the world around me.”

“It is so important to share experiences with one another. Humans are so often in their own heads and not looking to others. But we have to realize that we are always invited to be a part of someone else's story - we are together in this.”

“I never thought that being a public speaker would teach me so much about life and make it so beautiful as well.”

“The tradition of Umuganda is a beautiful and inspiring one. It connects people to their surrounds and creates a responsible community.”