Quotes
“ Language brings with it an identity and a culture, or at least the perception of it. A shared language says 'We're the same.' A language barrier says 'We're different.' ”
— Trevor Noah
Entertainment Black Global South He / Him · Pronounced: TREV-er NOH-uh
He / Him · Pronounced: TREV-er NOH-uh
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Noah, who grew up mixed-race under apartheid South Africa, on language as a tool of belonging or exclusion.
“ The handicap of deafness is not in the ear; it is in the mind. ”
— Marlee Matlin
Entertainment Women Disabled She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-lee MAT-lin
She / Her · Pronounced: MAR-lee MAT-lin
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Matlin was the first deaf performer to win an Academy Award.
Read More: Disability Rights
“ This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars. ”
— Billy Porter
Entertainment Black LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: BIL-ee POR-ter
He / Him · Pronounced: BIL-ee POR-ter
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Porter on his red-carpet fashion as a political statement, not just style.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ It's our time to have wage equality once and for all and equal rights for women in the United States of America. ”
— Patricia Arquette
Entertainment Women She / Her · Pronounced: puh-TRISH-uh ar-KET
She / Her · Pronounced: puh-TRISH-uh ar-KET
Context Arquette's Best Supporting Actress speech, which put wage equality on a global stage.
“ Let's let everybody know it's okay to have a mental illness, it's okay to have an addiction problem. ”
— Demi Lovato
Entertainment Women LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: DEM-ee luh-VAH-toh
She / Her · Pronounced: DEM-ee luh-VAH-toh
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Lovato addressing a sold-out crowd about mental illness and addiction.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ There are three ways to ultimate success: the first way is to be kind, the second way is to be kind, and the third way is to be kind. ”
— Fred Rogers
Entertainment Male Role Models He / Him · Pronounced: FRED ROJ-erz
He / Him · Pronounced: FRED ROJ-erz
Source: Widely attributed to Rogers; exact original context to be confirmed · original link to be verified
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Rogers spent decades modelling gentleness and patience to children on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, at a time when that wasn't seen as a masculine trait.
“ If your dream only includes you, it's too small. ”
— Ava DuVernay
Entertainment Women Black She / Her · Pronounced: AY-vuh doo-vur-NAY
She / Her · Pronounced: AY-vuh doo-vur-NAY
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context DuVernay, a leading film-maker, on ambition that makes room for others.
“ I remember that love conquers fear, always, and that to be a man means accepting myself, weaknesses and all. That's my true superpower. ”
— Terry Crews
Entertainment Male Role Models Male Allies He / Him · Pronounced: TAIR-ee KROOZ
He / Him · Pronounced: TAIR-ee KROOZ
Context Crews, who has spoken openly about surviving sexual assault, on redefining strength as honesty rather than hardness. Included as both a role model and an ally standing with survivors.
“ I think having a baby sliced out of you is pretty hardcore. ”
— Ali Wong
Entertainment Women Asian She / Her · Pronounced: AH-lee WONG
She / Her · Pronounced: AH-lee WONG
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Wong, known for candid stand-up about pregnancy and motherhood.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ Why not me? ”
— Mindy Kaling
Entertainment Women Asian She / Her · Pronounced: MIN-dee KAY-ling
She / Her · Pronounced: MIN-dee KAY-ling
Context The title question of Kaling's memoir, on claiming opportunity.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ Depression is not as easy as saying, 'Just find your joy and you're going to become happy.' That was never my experience. ”
— Jonathan Van Ness
Entertainment LGBTQ+ They / Them · Pronounced: JON-uh-thun VAN NESS
They / Them · Pronounced: JON-uh-thun VAN NESS
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Van Ness pushing back on the idea that depression can be resolved by simply choosing happiness.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Just me existing, as an openly black transgender woman from a working-class background, thriving, is a political act. ”
— Laverne Cox
Entertainment Women Black Trans LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: luh-VERN KOKS
She / Her · Pronounced: luh-VERN KOKS
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Cox on visibility itself as resistance.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity. ”
— Viola Davis
Entertainment Women Black She / Her · Pronounced: vy-OH-luh DAY-viss
She / Her · Pronounced: vy-OH-luh DAY-viss
Context The first Black woman to win the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama.
“ Europeans didn't vibe with the way women held power in many Native societies. ”
— Lily Gladstone
Entertainment Women Indigenous She / Her · Pronounced: LIL-ee GLAD-stohn
She / Her · Pronounced: LIL-ee GLAD-stohn
Source: Vanity Fair interview · original link to be verified
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Gladstone on the erasure of matrilineal power structures in many Indigenous nations.
Read More: Indigenous Voices
“ There's absolutely nothing wrong with you. ”
— Elliot Page
Entertainment Trans LGBTQ+ He / Him · Pronounced: EL-ee-ut PAYJ
He / Him · Pronounced: EL-ee-ut PAYJ
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Page's message to trans youth while promoting his memoir.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ I hope it's a bit of a love letter to everyone who feels different, who feels out of place, to all of the Black women who have walked into rooms and felt like they haven't been welcomed. ”
— Cynthia Erivo
Entertainment Women Black LGBTQ+ She / Her · Pronounced: SIN-thee-uh eh-REE-voh
She / Her · Pronounced: SIN-thee-uh eh-REE-voh
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Erivo on what she hoped her performance in Wicked would mean to audiences.
Read More: LGBTQ+ Voices
“ Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. ”
— Denzel Washington
Entertainment Male Role Models Black He / Him · Pronounced: den-ZEL WOSH-ing-tun
He / Him · Pronounced: den-ZEL WOSH-ing-tun
Source: Commencement address, Dillard University · original link to be verified
Context Washington on treating setbacks as part of moving forward rather than reasons to stop.
“ If we truly envision an equal world, it takes equal effort and sacrifice. Today is one of the most indelible days of my life because of Mark Wahlberg, WME and a community of women and men who share in this accomplishment. ”
— Michelle Williams
Entertainment Women She / Her · Pronounced: mih-SHEL WIL-yumz
She / Her · Pronounced: mih-SHEL WIL-yumz
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Williams after her co-star donated his reshoot fee to close the pay gap between them.
“ The stories we tell about communities affect the laws that get passed, the people that get attacked, the countries that get invaded. ”
— Riz Ahmed
Entertainment Asian Global South He / Him · Pronounced: RIZ AH-med
He / Him · Pronounced: RIZ AH-med
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Ahmed on the real-world stakes of on-screen representation.
Read More: Asian Voices
“ Turn your wounds into wisdom. ”
— Oprah Winfrey
Entertainment Women Black She / Her · Pronounced: OH-prah WIN-free
She / Her · Pronounced: OH-prah WIN-free
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Winfrey on turning hardship into insight, a thread running through her own story.
“ I use my platform for more than just myself. To neglect the political is to neglect what essentially is your job of storytelling. ”
— Zendaya
Entertainment Women Black She / Her · Pronounced: zen-DAY-uh
She / Her · Pronounced: zen-DAY-uh
Source: Widely reported interview material · original link to be verified
Widely credited to this person; primary source not yet confirmed.
Context Zendaya on why she treats her public platform as more than promotion.
Their Story American actor who became the youngest woman ever, and the second Black woman, to win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her role in 'Euphoria', a win she repeated in 2022.
Her Emmy acceptance speeches are direct primary sources. See Their Full Story
