She enjoyed laughter. She enjoyed listening to others tell jokes. But she didn't like to play jokes on people. She was very serious minded, very deliberate in her actions. That was one of the reasons I think that children gravitated to her, animals also, they just loved her because she was so very gentle. So very sweet. But she would treat children as if they were little people, and not little children that had not developed. And when they would ask her a direct question, she would answer it directly. They would ask her questions like "Were you afraid when you were in jail?" And she what say "No, I wasn't afraid. But it wasn't very pleasant either". And so that would satisfy them. And students on college campuses and, and high schools would often ask her, how did you get the courage to do what you did. And she said that it was a way of life, she didn't think about it, that she was very clear about what her rights were. And that she felt justified in remaining where she was seated. So then students would in fact, talk to her and say "Well, we're having problems here. How do you think that we should approach them?" And her response to them most often would be "Well first it must begin within yourself self. How do you feel about others?" "That you must let yourself be reflected to them, so that they will feel comfortable in relating to you. And if you carry yourself in a particular way, or if you think about others, in a specific way, then we hope that that will come back to you. And if it does not, then you'll have to try it in another area. But ultimately, that you will find and be linked with people who are of the same thought. But it has to begin within yourself".

The purpose of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, Mrs Parks and I started that in 1987, is to motivate youth to reach their highest potential. And that occurs through continuing to work on yourself and work with others. Everyone has a unique gift and Mrs Parks' very unique gift, that probably only a few, a very few people have had on the planet, and she is the only one that I know that had it, is that she was completely non judgmental. She never judged people. It didn't matter what you looked like or how you spoke even. She, in fact, related to you, the way you related to her. If you, you know, that you were inquisitive, that you asked a question, she would respond to you, you know, quite kindly, she never thought it was out of place for you to be inquisitive.

She did not condone rudeness. You know, with her being as well known as she was, people wanted to get to her sometimes in the worst way, and they would pretend I wasn't next to her. They might step on my feet or you know, reach over me. And she would very gently say "This is Elaine Eason Steele, she is with me. Mrs Steele is in fact my executive assistant". And they would have to stop and acknowledge me before speaking to her. And she did it so gently. She was just always very kindly making people remember their manners. Or if someone else was talking to her, and you wanted to say something to her and you just blurted in, she would say "Excuse me, I'm speaking to so-and-so, I'll be right with you". Just as kind and gentle. But she would take that time not to embarrass the person, but to gently correct them.