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" My Chicago is beautiful and diverse. It was able to give me all parts of the world all in one. "

Clemantine Wamariya

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" I am not a refugee. I sought refuge for many years, but the word 'refugee' does not define me. It just limits me and puts me in a box. "

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" The idea of somebody suffering is really painful to every human. In our collective language, we all too often see those who are suffering as a victim to be pitied, to be feared, and even sometimes to be despised. I want to redirect that narrative. "

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" It occurred to me that memorials shouldn't be grand. If you really want to honor the memory of a tragedy, you shouldn't create areas of calm reflection. You should make people uncomfortable. Put them in the shoes of those who perpetrated and those who suffered. Then ask, would they be able to forgive in these situations? "

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

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" Safety should be a birthright. "

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" Never allow other people to classify you based on your past and current circumstances, where you were born, your experiences, your gender, or your race. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" 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. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" You have this one life. If you keep being selfish and unkind, it's going to come back to you. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" It's taken a lot of years for me to learn how to share my story. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" If you want to learn about the history of a people, eat their food and drink their beverages. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" There are a lot of great people everywhere. And there are also a lot of not so great people. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" Forgiveness allowed me to wash my burdened past away. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" I'm still coping with my trauma, but coping by trying to find different ways to heal it rather than hide it. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" Elie Wiesel and his book 'Night' have changed my life, shifting the way I see and treat people and inspiring me to fight injustices any way I am able. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" We cannot afford to lose any more people as a result of hatred. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" 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. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" Set goals but be flexible. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" From age six to 12, I lived in seven different countries, moving from one refugee camp to another, hoping we would be wanted. "

Clemantine Wamariya

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

Clemantine Wamariya

" The world is part of us, and we are part of the world. Even through the smallest acts, we can demonstrate that. I believe in the human spirit, in the kindness in all of us, and I am hopeful for this world. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" My day-to-day varies. I do some public speaking. I talk to school groups. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" 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. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" I hate light... I feel like at night, it's safer. If anything happens, there's a way to hide at night. Another thing I hate about light is it reminds me about being in a refugee camp and being outside. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" It has taken me so many years to finally be in my bed and fall asleep for six hours. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" I want to create or be a platform for people who have been labelled as a victim. I'm not going to be their voice; that's their voice. I want to allow people to voice their life beyond labels. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" There are millions of people, refugees, who have experienced the same conflicts and struggles I did. They have the same potential to defy the odds and achieve great things. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" Sharing presumes and creates equality. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" 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. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" Growing up, many of us are taught to place limits on what we can accomplish while on earth. We tend to think of things in binary form: either as possible or, more frequently, impossible. "

Clemantine Wamariya

" 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. "

Clemantine Wamariya