I am always drawn to people who lead lives that are contrary to what society expects. To me, this is not an easy feat. Those who try but fail tend to rely on the aesthetic of a persona rather than dancing to the beat of their own drum. An outcast is rarely taken seriously but when you resemble the status quo and yet inhabit a progressive frame of mind, it is hard not to be noticed... and feared. It takes emotional strength and mental endurance to be a trailblazer. Their enduring need to not compromise enables us to evolve as human beings. It is too bad I can't meet Sylvia Plath, Josephine Baker, Basquiat or James Baldwin. If we are talking this lifetime, I guess I will have to "settle" to meet Barak Obama, Alice Walker, Lila Downs, Naomi Shihab Nye, Edwidge Danticat and Al Sharpton. I AM KIDDING ON THAT LAST ONE!