Quote by Miriam Tlali: “Our lives are our stories, and our stories must be told.”

This quote emphasizes the inherent value and significance of individual and collective narratives. It asserts that personal experiences are vital cultural assets that deserve to be shared, preserved, and heard, contributing to a broader human understanding.

Facing state censorship and a lack of publishing opportunities for black authors, Tlali championed the act of storytelling as vital for cultural preservation, identity, and resistance against apartheid's attempts to erase black experiences.

South African novelist who was the first Black South African woman to have a novel published in her home country. Her 1975 novel Muriel at Metropolitan, drawn from her experience working at a white-owned furniture store in Johannesburg, was banned by the apartheid government. She was a founding member of the Staffrider literary movement.