When you go through all your life processing and abusing your hair so it will look like the hair of another race of people then you are making a statement and the statement is clear
Assata ShakurRead
Unless you are addressing the issues people are concerned about and contributing positive direction, they'll never support you. The first thing the enemy tries to do is isolate revolutionaries from the masses of people, making us horrible and hideous monsters so that our people will hate us
Interpretation
What this quote means
Engaging with people's concerns is essential for gaining their support and trust.
This quote emphasizes the importance of addressing the concerns of the community in order to garner their support. Assata Shakur highlights how opposition forces attempt to alienate leaders from the masses by portraying them negatively, which makes it crucial for leaders to engage transparently and positively with the people to maintain their trust and support.
Themes
SupportIssuesCommunityTrustLeadership
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting, a leader might use this quote to emphasize the importance of addressing local issues.
More from Assata Shakur
All quotes βPart of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more fun, too. That is more loving. It's really working to create something beautiful.
Assata ShakurRead
We had to learn that we're beautiful. We had to relearn something forcefully taken from us. We had to learn about Black power. People have power if we unite. We learned the importance of coming together and being active
Assata ShakurRead
I was sentenced to life plus 30 years by an all-White jury. What I saw in prison was wall-to-wall Black flesh in chains. Women caged in cells. But we're the terrorists. It just doesn't make sense.
Assata ShakurRead
My life wasn't beautiful and creative before I became politically active. My life was totally changed when I began to struggle.
Assata ShakurRead
Peace is a rare gift. Peace of mind, peaceful sleeps, and peaceful spirits are all luxuries that few rebels can ever afford.
Assata ShakurRead
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