Faye Wattleton
President, Center for the
Advancement of Women and 1993 Inductee- National Women’s Hall of Fame:

It really showcases a different perspective of African American life … it’s an intimate examination — an opportunity for the viewer to hear from people in a way that they might not ordinarily. When you listen to Serena Williams speak, you realize that those are her frustrations and the frustrations of many of us. It really reflects the range of diversity. We are pigeonholed, no matter how much we’ve succeeded. We just have to try to recognize that we each carry with us a responsibility.

Richard D. Parsons
Chairman of the Board, Time Warner and Board of Directors, Citigroup:

[This documentary] helps to break down stereotypical thinking. In a way, a new day has dawned. It’s possible to [find success], and the elements of that aren’t really linked to your ethnic identity. Elvis [Mitchell] in particular, did a good job of getting people to reveal who they really are.

Rev. Al Sharpton
President, National Action Network and Civil Rights Activist:

It opened me up to talk about how I got to where I had gotten. More importantly, when I watched it helped me understand how others got to where they got to. Where else would you see the whole spectrum? I thought it was [an] excellent portrayal of blacks who had succeeded in different fields, different generations, different beliefs — but similar obstacles they had to overcome. No success is an accident, success is based on consistency and dedication.

Bill T. Jones
Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Arnie Zane Dance Company and Tony Award-winning Choreographer:

I was inspired to be on the same roster with such [luminaries]. It was a wide, articulate roster and I’m proud of that. I think it has something to do with a sense of purpose, intelligence and belief. Everyone had been driven by those qualities. It all [comes] together to inform the passions of a person. There’s not a lot of cynicism [in the documentary] — our era is crippled by cynicism.