We should be uncomfortable with the growing gaps in our society, and we cannot allow ourselves to become desensitized to these injustices.
Ayanna PressleyRead
I'm not naive. All politics is about identity, right? Neighborhood politics, cultural politics, issue politics. It's not as though I don't get that. It's just - it has to be, I think, tempered in a way that is for our overall advancement and not to our detriment or obliteration. When I say 'our,' I don't mean just communities of color.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Politics revolves around identity and must prioritize collective advancement.
In this quote, Ayanna Pressley acknowledges the fundamental relationship between politics and identity. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the various dimensions of politics—be it neighborhood, cultural, or issue-based—while advocating for an approach that promotes the overall progress of society rather than causing harm or division. Pressley insists that this perspective should apply to all communities, not just marginalized groups, calling for a collective responsibility in addressing political issues.
Themes
PoliticsIdentityCommunityAdvancementCollective
In practice
Example use cases
In a community meeting discussing local issues, this quote could be used to emphasize the need for unity.
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You cannot have a government for and by the people if it is not represented by all of the people.
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Raising me as a single parent, my mother held many jobs. Most of them had to do with the betterment and the advancement of our community and society at large. I grew up seeing her active in ministries at our church, with the homeless, as a social worker, with elderly, with youth, as a children's rights organizer with the Urban League of Chicago.
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As I have always said, those closest to the pain should be closest to the power.
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At the women's march, we held signs that said, 'Today we march, tomorrow we run.' They didn't believe us, but it's coming to pass.
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