20 Quotes to Inspire Change

04/30/09  Print This Post Print This Post    13 Comments   Popular   Written by Julie Schwietert
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They’re profound thinkers who spoke powerful words. But they also lived their lives as an example, putting these words into action every day. From Africa to the Americas, here are quotes from 20 famous–and not so famous–people, living and dead, who spent their lives thinking about and contributing to social justice movements.

1. “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives.” -Audre Lorde

2. “We must not allow ourselves to become like the system we oppose.” -Archbishop Desmond Tutu

3. “When will our consciences grow so tender that we will act to prevent human misery rather than avenge it?” -Eleanor Roosevelt

Photo: Sepperer Markus

4. “Washing one’s hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.”- Paulo Freire

5. “People must take a modicum of public responsibility for each other even if they have no ties to each other.” -Jane Jacobs

6. “We have a world to conquer…one person at a time…starting with ourselves.” -Nikki Giovanni

7. “We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo: meanestindian

8. “It is not enough to be compassionate – you must act.”- His Holiness The Dalai Lama

9. “The people are the only ones capable of transforming society.”- Rigoberta Menchu

10. “Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good; try to use ordinary situations.”- Jean Paul Richter

11. “There will be no Homeland Security until we realize that the entire planet is our homeland. Every sentient being in the world must feel secure.” -John Perkins

12. “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of overcoming it.” -Helen Keller

13. “Take your easy tears somewhere else. Tell yourself none of this ever had to happen. And then go make it stop. With whatever breath you have left. Grief is a sword or it is nothing.” -Paul Monette

14. “Nothing that is worth doing can be achieved in our lifetime; therefore we must be saved by hope.” -Reinhold Neibuhr

15. “During times of universal deceit telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” -George Orwell

16. “To be human, at the most profound level, is to encounter honestly the inescapable circumstances that constrain us, yet muster the courage to struggle compassionately for our own unique individualities and for more democratic and free societies.” -Cornel West

Photo: Amor Ministries

17.”If you are trying to transform a brutalized society into one where people can live in dignity and hope, you begin with the empowering of the most powerless. You build from the ground up.” -Adrienne Rich

18. “Wisdom lies neither in fixity nor in change, but in the dialectic between the two.” -Octavio Paz

19. “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.” -Elie Wiesel

20. “The more you move, the stronger you’ll grow….” -Ha Jin

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Feature photo: eneas


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About the Author

Matador ID: collazo

Julie Schwietert is the managing editor of Matador Network. She contributed a chapter to the recently published book, The Voluntary Traveler, and is currently working on five features for Fodor's Puerto Rico, 6th Edition.

13 Comments... join the discussion!

  • Tim Patterson replied on April 30, 2009

    Love it. All great – this one is my favorite:

    15. “During times of universal deceit telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” -George Orwell

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  • Colin Wright replied on April 30, 2009

    Really inspirational! Retweeted!

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  • Turner replied on April 30, 2009

    “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing”
    Edmund Burke

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  • Eva replied on April 30, 2009

    Great post, Julie.

    #2 hits me hard, these days…

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  • Sunaina Chugani replied on April 30, 2009

    Another nice one:

    Hesitation to act because the whole vision might not be achieved, or because others do not yet share it, is an attitude that only hinders progress. – Gandhi

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  • Abbie replied on April 30, 2009

    Love them!

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  • michaela lola replied on May 1, 2009

    Very inspiring Julie! I like the one by Ha Jin a lot…

    If I may add, my personal faves are:

    “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – Dr. Seuss

    “Be better than you were yesterday…” (I don’t know who said it, but I like it..its so simple.)

    “I accept that there will be disparities in the world. I accept that life is not fair. I accept that resources, power, opportunities will not be shared equally. But I hate that we live in a world that these disparities are based not on the limits of people’s abilities, but their circumstance. That’s what I want to help change.”
    – Brendan Baker

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  • Steve replied on May 4, 2009

    Great quotes. I may print out #19 and hang it next to my computer.

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  • Bill replied on May 10, 2009

    Wow, those were awesome quotes. If I can add my favorite quote as well,

    “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
    - Mahatma Gandhi

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  • Shreya replied on May 16, 2009

    8. “It is not enough to be compassionate – you must act.”- His Holiness The Dalai Lama

    this really resonates…as an arts student who is trying to find ways to put change-making into effect I do realize it’s not enough to just write a poem about the death of a favorite tree or an angry blog post about oppression – while these are vital, I want to go one step ahead and see what else can be done…having a voice is a privilege that I want to use for its rightful purpose

    thanks Julie, this is a wonderful post. there’s a power in words. great quotes.

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  • The Trolling Grammarian replied on March 22, 2010

    Quote functions as a verb; quotation is the noun. So, it should be “20 quotations…” in which the author quotes.

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  • Jeffrey replied on March 27, 2010

    Really great! I have always admired Eleanor Roosevelt so much. The only one I disagree with is 14, but otherwise these are insightful.

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  • Typical Charlie replied on April 9, 2010

    “This generation will have to repent – not so much for the evil deeds of the wicked people, but for the appalling silence of the good people!” – Martin Luther King jr

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