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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

I have been woman for a long time beware my smile I am treacherous with old magic.
AUDRE LORDE

Beware Magic Old Smile Woman
Anger, used, does not destroy. Hatred does.
AUDRE LORDE

Angry Destroy Hatred
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
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
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
In the recognition of loving lies the answer to despair.
AUDRE LORDE

Despair Love Lying Recognize
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
Nothing I accept about myself can be used against me to diminish me.
AUDRE LORDE

Acceptance Against Diminish Myself
What woman here is so enamored of her own oppression that she cannot see her heel print upon another woman’s face?
AUDRE LORDE

Face Oppression Woman
Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge.
AUDRE LORDE

Emotion Feeling Genuine Knowledge Path
Some women wait for themselves around the next corner and call the empty spot peace but the opposite of living is only not living and the stars do not care
AUDRE LORDE

Empty Live Opposite Peace Spot Stars Women
If I didn’t define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people’s fantasies for me and eaten alive.
AUDRE LORDE

Alive Eat Fantasy Inspirational Myself People Self Respect
In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction.
AUDRE LORDE

Celebration Destruction Difference Growth Live Reason Recognize Work
If I cannot air this pain and alter it, I will surely die of it. That’s the beginning of social protest.
AUDRE LORDE

Alter Beginning Die Justice Pain Protest Social
I am bleak heroism of words that refuse to be buried alive with the liars.
AUDRE LORDE

Bury Heroism Liar Refuse
It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.
AUDRE LORDE

Ability Acceptance Celebration Difference Divide Equality Recognize

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.

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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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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