We must use words to uplift and include. We can use our words to fight back against oppression and hate. But we must also channel our words into action.
Interpretation
Words have the power to uplift and provoke change.
The quote by Stacey Abrams emphasizes the dual power of words. They can be tools for both inclusion and resistance against negative forces such as oppression and hate. However, itβs not enough to merely speak; one must also act on those words to create meaningful change.
In practice
In a speech about community building, this quote could serve to inspire collective action.
I grew up one of six children with working-class parents in the Deep South. My mother was a college librarian, and my father worked in a shipyard. I never saw them balance a checkbook, but they kept a roof over our heads and got all six of us into college.
I do not Google myself, I do not read comments, and I barely look myself in the eye when I look in the mirror.
My being a black woman is not a deficit. It is a strength. Because I could not be where I am had I not overcome so many other barriers. Which means you know I'm relentless, you know I'm persistent, and you know I'm smart.
The basis for sustainable progress is legal protections grounded in an awareness of how identity has been used to deny opportunity.
I like to solve problems. I know it is a skill set, but it's also an obligation. I grew up with parents who believe that you don't simply complain: you try to find solutions and fix what's in front of you.
Here in Georgia, we continue to grapple with our own vestiges of hate. The image carved into Stone Mountain, like Confederate monuments across this state, stand as constant reminders of racism, intolerance, and division.
My family has equally suffered abductions, attacks and life threats, but I have continued my struggle for justice.
No, I am not a homosexual. If I were a homosexual, I would hope I would have the courage to say so. What's cruel is that you are forcing me to say I am not a homosexual. This means you are putting homosexuals down. I don't want to do that.
I am deliberate and afraid of nothing.
The great soul is the person who has taken on the task of change. If he or she is able to transcend fear, to act out of courage, the whole group will benefit and each one, in his or her own life, will be suddenly more courageous, though they may not see how or why.
We can't solve modern problems by going back in time. Retreating to the safety of the familiar is an understandable response, but God has called us to a life of faith. And faith requires us to face the unknown while trusting Him completely.
I do not aim with my hand; he who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I aim with my eye. I do not shoot with my hand; he who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I shoot with my mind. I do not kill with my gun; he who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father. I kill with my heart.
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