Harper,

Thank you for the beautiful worlds you have created. Thank you for the endless lessons, the tears, and the laughter. It was with your help that I began seeing the world in a different light. You have taught me many things, from your strength to your constant voice for oppressed people. You have accomplished so much in your life, defeating the odds and following your dreams. I would like to share some of my favorite quotes by you, ranging from To Kill a Mockingbird to the many speeches you have shared.

1. “As you grow older, you’ll see white men cheat black men every day of your life, but let me tell you something and don’t you forget it—whenever a white man does that to a black man, no matter who he is, how rich he is, or how fine a family he comes from, that white man is trash."

2. "Real courage is when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what."

3. "Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing."

4. "As you grow up, always tell the truth, do no harm to others, and don't think you are the most important being on earth. Rich or poor, you then can look anyone in the eye and say, 'I'm probably no better than you, but I'm certainly your equal.'"

5. “I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.”

6. “Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another)... There are just some kind of men who - who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.”

7. "Love's the only thing in this world that is unequivocal. There are different kinds of love, certainly, but it's a you-do or you-don't proposition with them all."

8. "Prejudice, a dirty word, and faith, a clean one, have something in common: they both begin where reason ends."

9. “You see, more than a simple matter of putting down words, writing is a process of self-discipline you must learn before you can call yourself a writer.”

10. “It's better to be silent than to be a fool.”

I always thought you to be immortal, and in some ways you are. Your books will continue to live on for generations to come. Thank you for being you, may you rest in peace.