Quotes You May Need On Your Fridge
This week, a woman became the democratic nominee for President of the United States of America. That woman is Vice President Kamala Harris. A biracial fifty-nine-year-old stepmom is running for president. A Black woman. An Indian woman. An attorney. An Attorney General.
This week’s essay is not an endorsement for Kamala Harris – because, duh. Obviously.
This week, it occurred to me there could be value in putting together a short piece highlighting other trailblazing women in U.S. public life.
I don’t know about you, but the dog whistles that have emerged and re-emerged now that a woman of color is running for the highest office in the land have felt both frustrating and predictable. The specific ways in which people attempt to tear bright women down are a drag. They are pedantic, childish, and dripping with misogyny.
This particular woman is clearly ready for this particular job. And women have been ready, to be clear.
This time, to me, feels like a national tempest. I am unclear what will be the same and what will be forever changed on the other side of this particular storm.
That said, I thought it would be valuable to be reminded of the wisdom of some who have come before us. You are welcome, of course, to do your own deep dive on the powerful leaders I reference below.
Also, feel free to grab a post-it note or two and jot down what sticks with you. On your fridge, your bathroom mirror, or near your workspace, I think powerful words can energize. Here are some truths, reminders, and statements from a number of women who have led the way.
Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm
(1972 - United States candidate for President) Chisholm became the first Black candidate to seek a major party's nomination for President of the United States, and the first woman to run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination.
“Unbought and Unbossed” – Chisholm’s campaign slogan
A quote from her book, by that same name, “No matter what men think, abortion is a fact of life. Women have always had them; they always have and they always will. Are they going to have good ones or bad ones? Will the good ones be reserved for the rich, while the poor women go to quacks?”
Shirley Chisholm was a total badass.
Dolores Huerta
(Co-founder of the United Farm Workers Association with Cesar Chavez) Huerta is an epic and impactful American labor leader and civil rights activist.
Her well-known quotes and rallying cries are innumerable. Here are just a handful:
“Si se puede! Yes, we can!”
“Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.”
“We must stand up for what we believe in, even when it’s not popular.”
Hillary Clinton
(Former U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and 2016 Democratic nominee for President)
“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.”
Ya’ll, I know these references just scratch the surface. There are women we know, women we have learned from without knowing them personally, and women who have inspired us throughout our lives. Please let this serve as a reminder to all compassion-seeking leaders that we are neither the first or the only to believe what we believe and care about what we care about. We are part of a much larger web – a community of people trying like hell to bend that arc of the moral universe towards justice.
Feel free to send me a photo of whatever quote you decide to put front and center in your life for the coming days and weeks – trina@trinaolson.com.
Until next week,
P.S. Early Bird Registration is OPEN NOW for my October and November Four-Part Cohort for Leaders – email me for all the info