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Institutionalized rejection of difference is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people.

Audre Lorde

If they cannot love and resist at the same time, they probably will not survive.
AUDRE LORDE

Love Probable Resistance Survival Time
The true focus of revolutionary change is never merely the oppressive situations that we seek to escape, but that piece of the oppressor which is planted deep within each of us.
AUDRE LORDE

Change Escape Focus Pieces Plant Revolution Seek Situation
Tomorrow belongs to those of us who conceive of it as belonging to everyone; who lend the best of ourselves to it, and with joy.
AUDRE LORDE

Belong Conceive Future Inspirational Joy Ourselves
I have a duty to speak the truth as I see it and share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigated pain. It is important to share how I know survival is survival and not just a walk throught the rain.
AUDRE LORDE

Duty Important Intense Pain Rain Speak Survival Truimph Truth
It’s a struggle but that’s why we exist, so that another generation of Lesbians of color will not have to invent themselves, or their history, all over again.
AUDRE LORDE

Colour Existence Generation History Lesbian Struggle
When times are hard, do something. If it works, do it some more. If it does not work, do something else. But keep going.
AUDRE LORDE

Encouragement Hard Time Inspirational Time Work
Guilt and defensiveness are bricks in a wall against which we all flounder; they serve none of our futures.
AUDRE LORDE

Against Brick Defense Future Guilty Serve Wall
Life is very short and what we have to do must be done in the now.
AUDRE LORDE

Done Inspirational Life
I find I am constantly being encouraged to pluck out some one aspect of myself and present this as the meaningful whole, eclipsing or denying the other parts of self.
AUDRE LORDE

Aspect Constant Deny Eclipse Encouragement Present
I want to live the rest of my life, however long or short, with as much sweetness as I can decently manage, loving all the people I love, and doing as much as I can of the work I still have to do.
AUDRE LORDE

Decent Life Live Love Management People Sweet Want Work
Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge.
AUDRE LORDE

Emotion Feeling Genuine Knowledge Path
Anger is loaded with information and energy.
AUDRE LORDE

Angry Energy Information
When you reach out and touch other human beings, it doesn’t matter whether you call it therapy or teaching or poetry.
AUDRE LORDE

Human Poetry Teaching Theraphy Touch
Whenever the need for some pretense of communication arises, those who profit from our oppression call upon us to share our knowledge with them
AUDRE LORDE

Arise Communication Knowledge Need Oppression Share
We are all in the process of becoming.
AUDRE LORDE

Life One Liner Positive Process
Unless one lives and loves in the trenches, it is difficult to remember that the war against dehumanization is ceaseless.
AUDRE LORDE

Against Battle Cease Difficult Live Love Remember War
The transformation of silence into language and action is an act of self-revelation .
AUDRE LORDE

Act Action Language Silence Transformation
You are the one that you are looking for.
AUDRE LORDE

Healing Inspirational Look One Liner
I learned so much from listening to people. And all I knew was, the only thing I had was honesty and openness.
AUDRE LORDE

Honesty Learning Listen People
Construct templates for possible futures, and focus our rage for change upon our enemies rather than upon each other.
AUDRE LORDE

Change Construct Each Other Enemy Future Inspirational Possible Template
I remember how being young and Black and gay and lonely felt. A lot of it was fine, feeling I had the truth and the light and the key, but a lot of it was purely hell.
AUDRE LORDE

Black Gay Hell Loneliness Remember Truth
There are no new ideas. There are only new ways of making them felt.
AUDRE LORDE

Black Lives Matter Ideas
Oppressors always expect the oppressed to extend to them the understanding so lacking in themselves.
AUDRE LORDE

Expectation Extend Lack Oppression Understand
It does not pay to cherish symbols when the substance lies so close at hand.
AUDRE LORDE

Cherish Close Hands Pay Substance Symbol
Black and Third World people are expected to educate white people as to our humanity.
AUDRE LORDE

Black Lives Matter Education Expectation Human People World
We have to consciously study how to be tender with each other until it becomes a habit because what was native has been stolen from us, the love of Black women for each other.
AUDRE LORDE

Black Lives Matter Consicious Each Other Habit Tender Women
I am still learning – how to take joy in all the people I am, how to use all my selves in the service of what I believe, how to accept when I fail and rejoice when I succeed.
AUDRE LORDE

Acceptance Believe Joy Learning People Rejoice Service Success

Institutionalized rejection of difference is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people.

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Institutionalized rejection of difference is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people.

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