Patricia Hill Collins Quotes

Activists are generally doers - rather than watching television and thinking about the world they will put there energies into doing something 'active' to change the (political) situation.

Change never comes from the White House. It comes from your house and my house.

I am one who believes in the power of the people. I am inspired when I see people hit the streets, who challenge their elected officials, and are willing to stand up and fight. I encourage it.

There is no power above people power.

Nonviolent tactics can move into action on our behalf men not naturally inclined to act for us.

I'm an anarchist and I do think things such as Occupy Wall Street are about getting a little closer to the solution.

Violent resistance and nonviolent resistance share one very important thing in common: They are both a form of theater seeking an audience to their cause.

History dictates that unresponsive governments force ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

We will send a petition to Washington with boots on.

Wake up America.

If you don't like what's going on, you have to get involved.

Silence never won rights. They are not handed down from above; they are forced from pressures from below.

Protest is when I say this does not please me. Resistance is when I ensure what does not please me occurs no more.

Poetry can't give us the laws and institutions and representatives, the antidotes we need: only public activism by massive numbers of citizens can do that.

America won't be saved because one or 10 people stand up. It will be saved because millions of us stand up.

Progressive, radical, or even revolutionary change has always come from below.

Together, together, my friends, we have begun a political revolution to transform America, and that revolution, our revolution, continues!

I think there is a role for non-violent direct action when democratic channels have failed.

I think voting is the lowest form of political action that you can do. A lot of times, it keeps people from doing stronger things.

It is important to show up. Showing up at marches and rallies and town halls and protests.

Time's Up is finally, it would seem, activism with some teeth. It isn't perfect, however. One of the first acts of protest - urging celebrities to wear black to awards shows - reveals a worrisome willingness to keep lunging toward those lazy, meaningless and empty gestures that cheapen the seriousness of an issue.

Even if you can't be an activist every day, when you can be, do it.

In Chile, they had penas, where the community would come together to sing and plan how they were going to overthrow the government. There's a real hopefulness in that community style of organizing.

One doesn't have to be an activist and start a movement.

There's still a place for marching for instance with the Black Lives Matter movement, we've seen the importance of causing a scene, being on the streets and making your demands and your voice heard.