black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

You cannot use someone else’s fire. You can only use your own. And in order to do that, you must first be willing to believe that you have it.

Audre Lorde

I wish to raise a Black man who will not be destroyed by, nor settle for, those corruptions called power by the white fathers who mean his destruction as surely as they mean mine.
AUDRE LORDE

Black Black Lives Matter Corruption Destroy Father Man Power Racism
Out of my flesh that hungers and my mouth that knows comes the shape I am seeking for reason.
AUDRE LORDE

Flesh Hunger Mouth Reason Seek Shape
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
It does not pay to cherish symbols when the substance lies so close at hand.
AUDRE LORDE

Cherish Close Hands Pay Substance Symbol
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
Revolution is not a one time event.
AUDRE LORDE

Event One Liner Revolution Time
The oppression of women knows no ethnic nor racial boundaries, true, but that does not mean it is identical within those boundaries.
AUDRE LORDE

Boundary Ethnic Oppression Women
Some problems we share as women, some we do not.
AUDRE LORDE

Problem Share Women
Anger, used, does not destroy. Hatred does.
AUDRE LORDE

Angry Destroy Hatred
I wish to raise a Black man who will recognize that the legitimate objects of his hostility are not women, but the particulars of a structure that programs him to fear and despise women as well as his own Black self.
AUDRE LORDE

Black Lives Matter Fear Object Raise Recognize Structure Women
Sometimes we are blessed with being able to choose the time, and the arena, and the manner of our revolution, but more usually we must do battle where we are standing.
AUDRE LORDE

Arena Battle Blessing Choose Manner Revolution Stand
Institutionalized rejection of difference is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people.
AUDRE LORDE

Absolute Difference Economics Institution Necessary Outside People Profit Rejection
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 recognize that all knowledge is mediated through the body and that feeling is a profound source of information about our lives.
AUDRE LORDE

Body Feeling Information Knowledge Live Meditation Profound Recognize Source
Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.
AUDRE LORDE

Act Care Indulgence Myself Politics Preservation War
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 come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.
AUDRE LORDE

Believe Important Misunderstanding Risk Share Women Empowerment
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
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
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
We are powerful because we have survived, and that is what it is all about survival and growth.
AUDRE LORDE

Growth Inspirational Powerful Survival Women Empowerment
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
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
The transformation of silence into language and action is an act of self-revelation .
AUDRE LORDE

Act Action Language Silence Transformation
Nothing I accept about myself can be used against me to diminish me.
AUDRE LORDE

Acceptance Against Diminish Myself
Wherever the bird with no feet flew, she found trees with no limbs.
AUDRE LORDE

Bird Deep Fly Inspirational Tree

You cannot use someone else’s fire. You can only use your own. And in order to do that, you must first be willing to believe that you have it.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

You cannot use someone else’s fire. You can only use your own. And in order to do that, you must first be willing to believe that you have it.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Audre Lorde Quotes