Many unhoused people work full time but earn starvation, unlivable wages. Some struggle to access mental health services or substance use treatment, making earning a consistent and stable wage nearly impossible.
Cori BushRead
We have a deeply rooted misconception in our country that unhoused people have done something to deserve their conditions - when the reality is that unhoused people are living the consequences of our government's failure to secure the basic necessities people need to survive.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the misconception that homelessness is a result of personal failure rather than systemic issues.
Cori Bush's quote addresses the stigma surrounding homelessness, emphasizing that society often blames unhoused individuals for their plight instead of recognizing the role of systemic failures, particularly by government institutions, in providing essential resources. It calls attention to the need for a societal shift in understanding homelessness not as a personal failing but as a consequence of broader socio-economic and political issues.
Themes
HomelessnessSystemic IssuesSocietyGovernmentMisconceptions
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech advocating for policy changes to help the unhoused population.
More from Cori Bush
All quotes →The death penalty is an inhumane punishment that disproportionately violates the human rights of Black, brown, indigenous, and other marginalized people.
Cori BushRead
By expanding the legal authority of law enforcement agencies - without addressing the infiltration of white supremacy within law enforcement - we are expanding the capacity of white supremacy itself.
Cori BushRead
We don't live in a world that nurtures and cares for Black girls like me. And if the world doesn't care about a Black girl like me, then what will happen to our Black babies who grow up to become Black children and Black adults?
Cori BushRead
This stereotype that Black and brown boys and girls are dangerous or threatening has normalized systems of trauma: the cradle to prison pipeline, foster care, youth detention, and being tried and sentenced as adults. We treat trauma with more trauma.
Cori BushRead
Being unhoused in America must no longer be viewed as an individual shortcoming, but rather as an unacceptable, life-threatening policy failure.
Cori BushRead
Similar quotes
Things have become considerably better for men of colour since I was born. But I'd say that we'll be really getting somewhere when things get better for women of colour.
Laurence FishburneRead
Caste is about dividing people up in ways that preclude every form of solidarity, because even in the lowest castes, there are divisions and sub-castes, and everyone's co-opted into the business of this hierarchical, silo-ised society.
Arundhati RoyRead
When thousands of men and women work full time but need food stamps to put food on their tables, when they can't get health benefits, when they can't get paid sick days, then we must do whatever we can to stand up for them.
Charles B. RangelRead
Being a young black man, observing and sensing the need for race equality and women's rights, I wrote about what was important to me.
Curtis MayfieldRead
Boycotts have been a critical part of social justice in American history, particularly for African-Americans.
Stacey AbramsRead
The thirst for liberation and equality can never come at the expense of dehumanizing other marginalized groups - especially at a time when hate crimes against Jews have increased significantly.
Jemele HillRead