Racism Quotes
The following racism quotes contain inspiring perspectives to help you reflect and do whatever you can to make the world a better place for you and generations yet to come. Showing that you care about other people’s well-being, that you are an ally in promoting inclusion and equity, are some great actions you can take to help overcome the consequences of racism.
It all starts with
awareness. Just because racism doesn’t happen among the people you know, it
doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Passive racism is probably the most insidious
factor that contributes to the ongoing problem.
Here are 30 quotes on racism
quotes to help fight prejudice and injustice:
There is no such thing as race. None. There is just a human race -- scientifically, anthropologically.
TONI MORRISON (more Toni Morrison quotes)
Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
JAMES BALDWIN
People who insist on dividing the world into 'Us' and 'Them' never contemplate that they may be someone else's 'Them.'
RAY A. DAVIS
Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.
MUHAMMAD ALI
If you have come to help me you are wasting your time. But if you recognize that your liberation and mine are bound up together, we can walk together.
LILA WATSON
In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist. We must be anti-racist.
ANGELA DAVIS (more Angela Davis quotes)
None of us is responsible for the complexion of his skin. This fact of nature offers no clue to the character or quality of the person underneath.
MARIAN ANDERSON
Accomplishments have no color.
LEONTYNE PRICE
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.
DESMOND TUTU
As long as there is racial privilege, racism will never end.
WAYNE GERARD TROTMAN
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.
HARRIET TUBMAN (more Harriet Tubman quotes)
It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.
AUDRE LORDE
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word
MARTIN LUTHER KING
The very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being.
TONI MORRISON
It belongs to the very substance of nonviolence never to destroy or damage another person's feeling of self worth, even an opponent's.
BERNARD HARING
Tolerance, inter-cultural dialogue and respect for diversity are more essential than ever in a world where peoples are becoming more and more closely interconnected.
KOFI ANNAN
One day our descendants will think it incredible that we paid so much attention to things like the amount of melanin in our skin or the shape of our eyes or our gender instead of the unique identities of each of us as complex human beings.
FRANKLIN THOMAS
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.
MAYA ANGELOU
Those who deny freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN (more Abraham Lincoln quotes)
Racism is man’s gravest threat to man -- the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason.
ABRAHAM HESCHEL
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness.
MARK TWAIN
When will our conscience grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?
ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same.
ANNE FRANK
I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (more Martin Luther King Jr. quotes)
Whoever debases others is debasing himself.
JAMES BALDWIN
No matter how big a nation is, it is no stronger than its weakest people, and as long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you might otherwise.
MARIAN ANDERSON
Race and racism is a reality that so many of us grow up learning to just deal with. But if we ever hope to move past it, it can't just be on people of color to deal with it. It's up to all of us -- Black, white, everyone -- no matter how well-meaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out.
MICHELLE OBAMA
No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
NELSON MANDELA (more Nelson Mandela quotes)
The beauty of anti-racism is that you don't have to pretend to be free of racism to be an anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it's the only way forward.
IJEOMA OLUO
The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.
STEPHEN BIKO
Why New Year's Resolutions Fail
It's that time of the year when you're feeling like this past year was a complete bust. You want change. So, like everyone else, you decide to come up with a list of Resolutions for this New Year. You are full of enthusiasm and excitement because you tell yourself that this year it's going to be different.
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), some 40-50% of people partake in this yearly tradition, but depending on which statistic you look at, only 10-15% of these people will eventually succeed in reaching their goals. And that's being generous.
So where do we come up short? The answer is simple. We don't have a plan and therefore we focus on the wrong things.
In actuality, making resolutions is not a bad thing. The problem usually comes from the lack of motivation and accountability that inevitably follows this period of excitement. You have to transform your enthusiasm into concrete and sustainable plan.
To increase your odds of success, you will need some accountability. Yes really. Those without it reduce their chance of success by half.
It's the same principle with Rehab programs. Why do you think they suggest the addict go to daily meetings? It's not so much that they will be learning new tools and skills (although that is part of it), but most of the benefit from those meetings comes from the support and accountability that they get from their peers.
So where do we get accountability? There are many places. Enlist friends and family. Tell as many people as you can. (Note: Tell people that will be supportive and hold you to realistic expectations.) Have a plan on how to accomplish your goal. List the steps. If you're not sure where to start, think about hiring a Life Coach or a professional mentor. Join a support group. You can even do it online. Just make sure there is a measure of accountability.
If you have a goal in mind, start right away. Don't wait until the end of the year. Just start! Why wait until the end of the year? It's very seldom that conditions will be perfect. So go ahead and make that jump!
The new year does not hold the answers, but you do. The real question is, are you ready to embrace change? Think about it. You've been stuck in a dead end job, or you've wanted to quit smoking. Or maybe you want to lose weight or quit drinking. What is that worth? If your resolution has been on your mind for awhile, don't you owe it to yourself act on it?
Don't get caught up in the trap. Put the cigarette down, get rid of the junk food in your house or start putting resumes in. Action brings results. Start now. Not tomorrow. Not tonight. But now! You've thought about it and talked about it. The only thing that is stopping you is you.
If you take nothing else away from this article but this one thing, I hope that it’s that there is never a perfect time except right now to start acting on your goals.
Jump!