Quotes by Ashley Judd

“Tough girls come from New York. Sweet girls, theyre from Georgia. But us Kentucky girls, we have fire and ice in our blood. We can ride horses, be a debutante, throw left hooks, and drink with the boys, all the while making sweet tea, darlin. And if we have an opinion, you know youre gonna hear it.”

“I was always told I was special. And I was also assured that I had a gift and a purpose.”

“You have so much power to bring awareness, prevention and change.”

“I cant think of anything I want and need that I dont already have but at the same time, Im not sated.”

“Oh sure, I can do that, no problem. Gain 30 pounds, sing a song, ride a horse, jump off a building, no worries.”

“Sure, girls from New York, they are tough. And girls from Georgia, they are sweet. But those born and bred feisty Kentucky girls, they are the ones you have to look out for. We have sugar and fire in our blood. We can ride a horse, be a débutante, throw a left hook and tell you the entire UK line up all while making sweet tea. And if we have an opinion, you get to know it. Were both the pride and the downfall of the bluegrass...”

“It is our honor to recognize the dedication of Archbishop Tutu, Senator Landrieu, and Senator Lugar in making HIV/AIDS relief a priority in both the domestic and international debate, ... Every 15 seconds a young person becomes infected with HIV. The work these honorees are doing is desperately needed and they are setting important examples of innovative political and social response to saving our future generations from the HIV/AIDS emergency.”

“Its up to us to take pop culture back and to express quality and dignity for both boys and girls.”

“There is nothing more important in this world than this. Nothing.”

“I know what $20 can do, what $600 can do, what $1 million can do, so Ive radically altered my own spending - I will stay at the airport hotel rather than the $350-a-night one, and then Ill take the extra money and invest it to accrue interest, so I can later donate it.”

(In part, quoting Robert Keegan from Harvard):When we take the risk of really witnessing another human being, when we validate their human experience, we risk becoming recruited to their welfare. I allow my empathy to be engaged, and once it is - because my feelings help teach me what my values are - Im on the path for which there is no return. I am inexorably an advocate when I allow my empathy to be engaged.

And of course theres so much music in and around our family. I had a piano during Christmas because its obviously useful through the season. There are so many people, songwriters, who are around.