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Luis Valdez Quotes

Playwright

Luis Valdez, born on June 26, 1940, is a renowned American playwright. His works often focus on the experiences and identity of Mexican Americans, and he is considered an important figure in the American theater.

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All People Generations Latino America California Men Needs Realizing Social States

Famous Luis Valdez Quotes

“It always hurts the gringo more to lose his money than his life.”

America Latino Hispanic Whiteness Gringo

Book:Zoot Suit and Other Plays

Source: Zoot Suit and Other Plays

“If you're not white, you have to be brilliant, just to be considered acceptable.”

America White Latino Poc

Book:Zoot Suit and Other Plays

Source: Zoot Suit and Other Plays

“When you start at the beginning of your career [that] was really focused on your own needs and obstacles, and ultimately you realize you're not really doing it for yourself.”

Needs Realizing Careers Obstacles Focused

Author:Luis Valdez

“A lot of people don't realize the roots of Batman are really Latino. They don't go back to the bat god, the ones the Mayans had - they had one that was a "bat man," they had sculptures of him, literally they had bats down there - but the other, more relatively recent inspiration for Batman was Zorro. But Zorro was based on the California bandits. Joaquin Murrieta and Tiburico Vásquez.”

People Men Inspiration Realizing Roots California Bats Sculpture Latino Bandits Zorro Mayans

Author:Luis Valdez

“It's absolutely essential for every generation to capture that social responsibility. Injustice grows like weeds. The injustices of the world are like weeds, and if you do nothing they'll choke your whole garden, man.”

Ifs Men World Whole Social Grows Responsibility Generations Essentials Garden Injustice Weed Capture Social Responsibility Choke

Author:Luis Valdez

“It comes out of human beings, it comes from the dark side of the human being, when people don't give a hoot about other people and they'll steal and rob and rob the food out of baby's mouths, so it's incumbent on every new generation to develop a social conscience and to really defend themselves. And that takes demonstrations sometimes.”

People Giving Humans Sometimes Social Sides Dark Human Beings Generations Baby Mouths Conscience Stealing Demonstration Dark Side New Generation Incumbents Hoot

Author:Luis Valdez

“A lot of the public responses are based on the prejudices and ignorance, they've been inherited from previous generations. California has always been a multicultural state, but the thing is, you've got to open your eyes and people in general need to get over their own prejudices.”

People Needs States Eye Generations Ignorance Prejudice Response California Get Over Multicultural Previous Generations

Author:Luis Valdez

“I believe in entertainment. I love entertainment. But I love it with a purpose. I want people to come out thinking about what they saw, and perhaps reassessing what's happening in their own lives with their families.”

People Thinking Believe Purpose I Believe

Author:Luis Valdez

“The library (in the migrant community) I grew up in was my only link to the outside world.”

World Community Grew Grew Up Library Links Outside World Migrants

Author:Luis Valdez

“No Statue of Liberty ever greeted our arrival in this country...we did not, in fact, come to the United States at all. The United States came to us.”

Country States Facts United Liberty United States Statues Arrivals Statue Of Liberty

Author:Luis Valdez

About the Author

Born: June 26, 1940
Known for: Playwright
Quotes: 10

Books & Sources

Zoot Suit and Other PlaysRelated source material

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