Clemantine Wamariya

Words will never be enough to quantify and qualify the many magnitudes of human-caused destruction. ”

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. ”

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. ”

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

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. ”

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

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

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. ”

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. ”

All that I have achieved has been possible not only because of my own strength and perseverance, gained through hardship, but also through other people's support and belief in me. ”