A curated register of quotes from under-represented voices.

“ Life-transforming ideas have always come to me through books. ”

— bell hooks, 1994

“ Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom. ”

— George Washington Carver

“ Education must not simply teach work, it must teach life. ”

— W.E.B. Du Bois

“ Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. ”

— Nelson Mandela

“ The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. ”

— bell hooks, 2000

“ Love is an action, never simply a feeling. ”

— bell hooks, 2000

“ Bringing our true self is possible only when there is no fear of retribution or ridicule, and in fact appreciation and celebration of what makes each of us unique. ”

— Roma Bindroo

“ It's hard as a young person of a different ethnicity or background to look at the TV and not see anyone who looks like you. ”

— Zendaya, 2016

“ We are still here. The will to survive is engrained in us, passed down through the generations by our ancestors. ”

— Deb Haaland, 2021

“ You can start late, look different, be uncertain, and still succeed. ”

— Misty Copeland

“ I'm not OK with someone writing the Asian experience for an Asian character. ”

— Awkwafina, 2019

“ I truly believe American Sign Language is important because from the beginning, when a child is born, if they learn ASL, they have full access to information. ”

— Christine Sun Kim, 2017

“ The only way to survive is by taking care of one another. ”

— Grace Lee Boggs

“ I always wanted to not just be a tennis player. ”

— Coco Gauff

“ It is a revolutionary act simply to be who you are. ”

— Laverne Cox

“ I knew I was going to have to outwork people, I knew I was going to have to outsmart. ”

— Michael Oher, 2023

“ I've always held on to that America that I know, that I love, that does welcome refugees with open arms. ”

— Ilhan Omar, 2019

“ It always seems impossible until it's done. ”

— Nelson Mandela

“ It's an artist's duty to reflect the times in which we live. ”

— Nina Simone

“ Being non-violent is not being a coward. It's one of the most powerful tools because even those who pick up guns are cowards. ”

— Leymah Gbowee, 2011

“ I'll tell you what freedom is to me: no fear. ”

— Nina Simone