Marian Wright Edelman Quotes

Understand and be confident that each of us can make a difference by caring and acting in small as well as big ways.

every individual can make a difference ... if we continue to leave decision making to the so-called decision makers, things will never change.

If you think that one individual can't make a difference in the world, consider what one cigar can do in a nine-room house.

When did we begin to lose faith in our ability to effect change?

It's important to be active in the causes that are important to you... That's how we make changes in this world.

I learnt that if I want to make any difference, or changes to my world, then I've got to be involved. We need passion - that's how things change.

Change happens from the bottom up - all of us as individuals deciding that we will and we do have an impact.

Don't ever forget that a small group of thoughtful people can change the world, it's the only thing that ever has.

If you believe in making change from the bottom up, if you believe the measure of change is how many people's lives are better, you know it's hard, and some people think it's boring.

It's easy to feel helpless - like you can't fight the tide. But remember: small actions can have a huge impact, and one person like you can inspire others to action.

Too often, we rely on other people - whether it be politicians or institutions - to effect change.

Small acts by millions of people - imagine the impact of that. If someone changes one thing, they're likely to change two things, and then three things. Then they're likely to demand that from their leadership.

Our future is in our hands and we must stop looking to politicians to fix matters - they can't.

We have to have something that reaches the masses. That's what I've always known Me Too could do.

change starts at the bottom. I think we're disempowered by the idea that it starts at the top, when really change is like a tree. It does start at the bottom.

The challenge is to become part of the struggle, to make a positive difference.

Don't get cynical. Don't ever think you can't make a difference.

It's the people who are doing the nonviolent organizing at the grassroots that make me think there's still hope.

I have stopped waiting on our leaders. We have been forced to fear the system. But unless we change our ways and the way we see each other, we won't move forward.

I love what's going on these days with these powerful women who are really working to make a difference.

I do think it's extremely important to acknowledge the gains that were made by the civil rights movement, the black power movement.Institutional transformations happened directly as a result of the movements that people, unnamed people, organized and gave their lives to.

Never feel too small or powerless to make a difference.

I'd like to say that people... people can change anything they want to; and that means everything in the world. Show me any country and there'll be people in it. And it's the people that make the country. People have got to stop pretending they're not on the world... It's time to take that humanity back into the center of the ring and follow that for a time... Think on that. Without people you're nothing.

Every single one of us can do something, however small, to make a difference.

I wanted to work on policy because I think it really makes a difference.