Why can't black women on stage tell stories that can affect white men in the audience?
Danai GuriraRead
There’s a saying in Africa, if you give a woman empowerment, you empower a community, you empower men, you empower man. When women become empowered and live in their strength it’s beneficiary to others, and I think as young women today we sometimes forget that we are standing on the struggle of other women. Those women had to stand up to make a change, and they were not popular, and now we’re making them unpopular again.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Empowering women benefits entire communities and honors the struggles of those who fought for women's rights.
This quote emphasizes the profound impact that empowering women has on society as a whole. It highlights that when women are given strength and opportunities, they uplift not only themselves but also their communities and even men, creating a ripple effect of positive change. It also serves as a reminder to young women to recognize and honor the sacrifices of previous generations who fought for their rights and to continue that legacy of empowerment.
Themes
EmpowermentWomenCommunityStrengthChange
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a women's empowerment seminar to inspire participants.
More from Danai Gurira
All quotes →I want to see women of African descent shine.
Danai GuriraRead
I work with writers whom I believe to be true storytellers. And because I'm a writer, I pay very keen attention to their vision. I find that so fueling creatively because, in telling those stories, you use everything you've got. You come away with battle scars. It's gratifying and invigorating.
Danai GuriraRead
I often feel like a nutty professor, like I'm going to try this experiment and see if it works. My hypothesis is, people in the West can absorb African women stories without any shaken or stirred mixer. It can come directly from the source.
Danai GuriraRead
I'm not only a person of color, I'm also a woman. And I'm not only a woman, I'm also a woman from the Third World. All those elements put together means I have a lot to do.
Danai GuriraRead
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