Guilt and defensiveness are bricks in a wall against which we all flounder; they serve none of our futures. Audre Lorde More Quotes by Audre Lorde More Quotes From Audre Lorde I started writing because I had a need inside of me to create something that was not there Audre Lorde writing needs There's always someone asking you to underline one piece of yourself - whether it's Black, woman, mother, dyke, teacher, etc. - because that's the piece that they need to key in to. They want to dismiss everything else. Audre Lorde keys mother teacher To face the realities of our lives is not a reason for despair-despair is a tool of your enemies. Facing the realities of our lives gives us motivation for action. For you are not powerless... You know why the hard questions must be asked. It is not altruism, it is self-preservation-survival. Audre Lorde motivation self reality What are the words you do not yet have? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence. Audre Lorde silence fear needs I am a bleak heroism of words that refuse to be buried alive with the liars. Audre Lorde heroism alive liars For we have been socialized to respect fear more than our own needs for language and definition, and while we wait in silence for that final luxury of fearlessness, the weight of that silence will choke us. Audre Lorde luxury silence waiting In order to perpetuate itself, every oppression must corrupt or distort those various sources of power within the culture of the oppressed that can provide energy for change. Audre Lorde energy order culture Because the machine will try to grind you into dust anyway, whether or not we speak. Audre Lorde machines dust trying Hopefully, we can learn from the 60s that we cannot afford to do our enemies work by destroying each other. Audre Lorde hopefully destroying enemy Wherever the bird with no feet flew, she found trees with no limbs. Audre Lorde feet tree bird Pain is important: how we evade it, how we succumb to it, how we deal with it, how we transcend it. ... pain will always either change or stop. Always. ... The confidence that it will change is what makes bearing it possible. So pain is fluid. It is only when you conceive of it as something static that it is unbearable. Audre Lorde unbearable pain important 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 progress differences growth Each time you love, love as deeply as if it were forever. Audre Lorde i-love-you valentines-day inspiring We are all in the process of becoming. Audre Lorde becoming process graduation 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 able battle blessed It is not the destiny of Black America to repeat white America's mistakes. But we will, if we mistake the trappings of success in a sick society for the signs of a meaningful life. Audre Lorde destiny mistake meaningful Our feelings are our most genuine paths to knowledge. Audre Lorde emotional feelings knowledge Change is the immediate responsibility of each of us, wherever and however we are standing, in whatever arena we choose. Audre Lorde arena standing responsibility Well, I do not want to be tolerated, nor misnamed. I want to be recognized. Audre Lorde want Nothing I accept about myself can be used against me to diminish me. Audre Lorde diminish accepting used
