I think it is selfish for me to try to frame Me Too as something that I own. It is bigger than me and bigger than Alyssa Milano. Neither one of us should be centered in this work. This is about survivors.
Tarana BurkeRead
These movements aren't about anger. We're not angrily saying 'Black Lives Matter.' We're declaring it. It's a declaration. We want to be seen as robust, full human beings that have anger and have joy. We want to be able to just freely have that joy. Like everybody else does.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote underscores the importance of recognizing the humanity and emotions of Black individuals beyond just their struggles.
Tarana Burke's quote highlights the significance of acknowledging the full spectrum of Black humanity, which includes both joy and pain. It emphasizes that movements like Black Lives Matter are not merely reactions to anger but rather a powerful declaration of identity and existence, demanding recognition and the freedom to express all emotions just like anyone else.
Themes
Black Lives MatterHumanityDeclarationJoyIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a speech about social justice to reinforce the importance of recognizing the full humanity of individuals.
More from Tarana Burke
All quotes βGet up. Stand up. Speak up. Do something.
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'Me Too' became the way to succinctly and powerfully connect with other people and give people permission to start their journey to heal.
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We want to turn victims into survivors - and survivors into thrivers.
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I think that women of color use social media to make our voices heard with or without the amplification of white women. I also think that, many times, when white women want our support, they use an umbrella of 'women supporting women' and forget that they didn't lend the same kind of support.
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Men need to help reshape the conversation around consent.
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