I realized I was more convincing to myself and to the people who were listening when I actually said what I thought, versus what I thought people wanted to hear me say.
Ursula BurnsRead
My perspective comes in part from being a New York black lady, in part from being an engineer. I know I'm smart and have opinions worth being heard.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives and the value of individual voices in society.
Ursula Burns highlights how her unique experiences as a Black woman and an engineer shape her insights and opinions. She asserts the significance of recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives, reminding us that everyone has the potential to contribute valuable thoughts and ideas to the conversation, regardless of their background. This statement encourages confidence in one's identity and the importance of sharing one's voice.
Themes
PerspectiveDiversityVoiceIdentityExperience
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of diversity in the workplace, one might quote Ursula Burns to inspire others to share their unique viewpoints.
More from Ursula Burns
All quotes βMy mother was amazing. I guess, in our community, if you wanted to get by you had to work hard. So she cleaned offices. She did everything that you could imagine. We were really poor. But she would say, 'Where you are is not who you are.'
Ursula BurnsRead
I'm a black lady from the Lower East Side of New York. Not a lot intimidates me.
Ursula BurnsRead
Fresh out of college, you tend to join a company because it's a job. But, you tend to stay because it becomes a career; you start to feel at home. In the beginning of your career, you're focused on you: 'I like this place because I'm doing rewarding work; they take good care of me; the people are nice; there's runway for me,' etc.
Ursula BurnsRead
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