"Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired me to accomplish my medical achievements. He said, 'Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane.' That motivated me to conserve and dedicate some energy at the end of every day to help someone in need after I had taken care of my own priorities. I recommend this principle to everyone as a method to improve our universal well-being."

"I remember the projects of Tennessee, government cheese, milk and me, when at EYM:

A child says, 'Ms. Echols, Um Hungry,'
A high school student can't read a 4th grade textbook,
A parent tells me she is abused,
A 16-year-old tells me she's pregnant and confused,
A parent tells me he is an addict,
A 72-year-old is raising three grandchildren,
A young girl tells me she doesn't like the dark skin she lives in...

The challenge is enormous, but transforming expectations and possibilities is contagious. It happened to me, Mrs. Echols-Brown."