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 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.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes that one's current situation does not define their true identity or potential.
Ursula Burns reflects on her mother's hard work and resilience in the face of poverty. Despite their challenging circumstances, her mother instilled the belief that one's worth and identity are not determined by material conditions or societal status. Instead, it is the spirit and effort one brings that defines who they truly are.
Themes
IdentityResilienceHard WorkPovertyFamily
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a community support event to inspire those facing hardships.
More from Ursula Burns
All quotes →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.
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I'm a black lady from the Lower East Side of New York. Not a lot intimidates me.
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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.
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