Remember and help America remember that the fellowship of human beings is more important than the fellowship of race and class and gender in a democratic society.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
Far less wealthy industrialized countries have committed to end child poverty, while the United States is sliding backwards. We can do better. We must demand that our leaders do better.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The U.S. is failing to address child poverty compared to other countries, and we need to hold our leaders accountable for change.
In this quote, Marian Wright Edelman emphasizes the urgency and importance of tackling the issue of child poverty, particularly in the United States, where progress appears to be reversing. She calls for greater accountability from leaders, urging individuals to advocate for better policies and actions that prioritize the well-being of children, especially in a nation that has the resources to eradicate such poverty.
Themes
Child PovertyAccountabilitySocial JusticeLeadershipAdvocacy
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting about social issues, you might quote this to emphasize the need for local leaders to prioritize child welfare.
More from Marian Wright Edelman
All quotes βDr. King used to say, 'I was sitting in the back of the bus, but my mind was always up front.' Don't let anybody tell you that you can't do it. You aim high and you work very hard and now I think it's clear that you can be anything you want to.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
The outside world told black kids when I was growing up that we weren't worth anything. But our parents said it wasn't so, and our churches and our schoolteachers said it wasn't so. They believed in us, and we, therefore, believed in ourselves.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
I was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and change them; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pays for living - the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who will keep seeding and building transforming movements.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
You didn't have a choice about the parents you inherited, but you do have a choice about the kind of parent you will be.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
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I must remind you that starving a child is violence. Suppressing a culture is violence. Neglecting school children is violence. Punishing a mother and her family is violence. Discrimination against a working man is violence. Ghetto housing is violence. Ignoring medical need is violence. Contempt for poverty is violence.
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What I think is different today is the lack of political connection between the black middle class and the increasing numbers of black people who are more impoverished than ever before.
Angela DavisRead