I pray with my whole soul that the divide-and-conquerers among us will not triumph over us. We need each other in this world so desperately.
Ruby DeeRead
We both grew up in the atmosphere of struggle, both Ossie and me, ... I come out of Harlem and Harlem comes out of me - wailing police sirens and street parties, rumors and landlords, that cultural, spiritual scene. And Ossie came up from the South, where struggle and dying were part of everyday life. That is who we are.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the shared experiences of struggle and resilience shaped by one's environment.
Ruby Dee's quote describes how personal identity and character are formed by the struggles and cultural backgrounds of individuals. She highlights her upbringing in Harlem with its challenges and vibrant cultural scene, alongside Ossie's experiences from the South, illustrating that their shared origins of struggle and perseverance define who they are. This deep connection to their roots emphasizes the importance of understanding one's history in shaping personal identity.
Themes
StruggleIdentityEnvironmentPerseveranceCulture
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience, one might quote Ruby Dee to illustrate the power of shared struggle in shaping identity.
More from Ruby Dee
All quotes →You should always be prepared to win. But as much as I tell myself that, I've accepted another kind of role. Racism undercuts expectation, something like that. I'm not saying that to excuse myself from anything, but I've lived all this time, and things don't happen.
Ruby DeeRead
I respect the fact that a director has studied the text and the road map of work before us, the subtleties, interconnections, underpinnings... His job is to paint the entire picture and knows all the colors that have to be in it.
Ruby DeeRead
See, I don’t expect to win a prize for stoic control and dignity at mourning time. Death deserve tantrums. Beating back shocked indignation, kicks in the groin, stones, classified unacceptable, not to be tolerated, not to be wooed, not to be conspired with. Only then can music, dance, movies, plays, rap be about life. Only then can life be cherished and adored.
Ruby DeeRead
I never thought about myself as an activist when we were coming along. I love the people I love. I didn't care whether they could be a Democrat, Republican, communist... anything but a racist.
Ruby DeeRead
When I was young, I dreamt of being a starlet in Hollywood. But there comes a point in every African American's life when you realize the limitations, that you could only play maids or some little supporting role. Even Lena Horne couldn't get good parts.
Ruby DeeRead
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