“Who run the world? Girls.” Beyoncé gave women this feminist anthem in 2011, and ever since, we’ve been trying to turn her inspirational words into truth. (I personally believe that the more I sing this song in the shower, the more positive karma I’m putting into the world.)
As a woman of color, it’s sometimes hard to see the progress we’ve made. Reading news updates, things look no better than when Rosa Parks refused to move or when the Lovings fought for the legality of their marriage.
It’s easy to feel bleak, which makes finding something uplifting an immeasurable gift. This is why I got into the habit of writing some of my favorite quotes on sticky notes and putting them above my desk at work. Reading them throughout the day keeps me going.
Luckily, there’s no shortage of rallying cries and soothing verbal balms from the women who’ve paved the way to progress. Right now, if you need help keeping your (intersectional) feminist fire alive, these quotes will serve as all the kindling you need.
A version of this article was originally published February 2019.
Yara Shahidi
“Being a part of this reemergence of a movement both pro-diversity and pro-woman is the best part of being a Black girl. It’s more than, ‘I stand for this because I should.’ I stand for this because this is part of who I am as a human being.” — Yara Shahidi
Michelle Obama
“You don’t have to be somebody different to be important. You’re important in your own right.” — Michelle Obama
Tarana Burke
“Raise [your girls] with vigilance, but not fear.” — Tarana Burke
Serena Williams
“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” — Serena Williams
Uzo Aduba
“I’ve heard of nothing coming from nothing, but I’ve never heard of absolutely nothing coming from hard work.” — Uzo Aduba
Oprah Winfrey
“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” — Oprah Winfrey
Danai Gurira
“I want women and girls of African descent and of color to be able to not have to keep searching for stories about themselves.” — Danai Gurira
Gabby Douglas
“Hard days are the best because that’s when champions are made.” — Gabby Douglas
Janet Mock
“Those parts of yourself that you desperately want to hide and destroy will gain power over you. The best thing to do is face and own them, because they are forever a part of you.” — Janet Mock
Lupita Nyong’o
“It’s only when you risk failure that you discover things. When you play it safe, you’re not expressing the utmost of your human experience.” — Lupita Nyong’o
Coretta Scott King
“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King
Beyoncé
“You have the power to change perception, to inspire and empower, and to show people how to embrace their complications, and see the flaws, and the true beauty and strength that’s inside all of us.” — Beyoncé
Ava DuVernay
“If you’re doing something outside of dominant culture, there’s not an easy place for you. You will have to do it yourself.” — Ava DuVernay
Michelle Obama
“We need you to roll up your sleeves. We need to get to work. Because remember this: When they go low, we go high.” — Michelle Obama
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