I think it is selfish for me to try to frame Me Too as something that I own. It is bigger than me and bigger than Alyssa Milano. Neither one of us should be centered in this work. This is about survivors.
Tarana BurkeRead
At the start of my career - not just Me Too, which is not the totality of my career - I wish I would have known that you don't have to sacrifice everything for a cause. And that self-care and self-preservation is also a tool that is necessary to do the work.
Interpretation
What this quote means
One should prioritize self-care while pursuing a cause, as it is essential for sustained effort.
Tarana Burke's quote emphasizes the importance of balancing personal well-being with the dedication to a cause. She reflects on her early career and expresses the realization that sacrificing everything for activism is not only unnecessary but can also hinder one's ability to make a meaningful impact. Self-care and self-preservation are portrayed as vital tools that empower individuals to continue their work effectively.
Themes
Self-CareActivismCauseBalanceWell-Being
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a workshop on self-care strategies for activists.
More from Tarana Burke
All quotes →Get up. Stand up. Speak up. Do something.
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'Me Too' became the way to succinctly and powerfully connect with other people and give people permission to start their journey to heal.
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We want to turn victims into survivors - and survivors into thrivers.
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I think that women of color use social media to make our voices heard with or without the amplification of white women. I also think that, many times, when white women want our support, they use an umbrella of 'women supporting women' and forget that they didn't lend the same kind of support.
Tarana BurkeRead
Men need to help reshape the conversation around consent.
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