--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems like no matter how successful…" description: "\"It seems like no matter how successful you are, or how strong, or how many lives you've changed, or how many banners you've got hanging... If you're a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/a-ja-wilson-6569_boss_it-seems-like-no-matter-how-successful-y_1710646.jpg" --- # It seems like no matter how successful you are, or how… ![“It seems like no matter how successful you are, or how strong, or how many lives you've changed, or how many banners you've got hanging... If you're a Black woman in this country, especially in the South? It's always this vibe of, 'I'm going to tell the real boss on you.'” quote by A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/a-ja-wilson-6569_boss_it-seems-like-no-matter-how-successful-y_1710646.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/a-ja-wilson-6569_boss_it-seems-like-no-matter-how-successful-y_1710646.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/a-ja-wilson-6569_boss_it-seems-like-no-matter-how-successful-y_1710646.jpg) > “It seems like no matter how successful you are, or how strong, or how many lives you've changed, or how many banners you've got hanging... If you're a Black woman in this country, especially in the South? It's always this vibe of, 'I'm going to tell the real boss on you.'” [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A candid reflection on the extra scrutiny and challenges Black women face, especially in the South, despite achievements. **In simple terms:** Black women face extra challenges. Key Takeaway A systemic bias and advocate for equity. Themes race gender inequality social justice Mood determined defiant Type social political inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - public speaking - media interviews - community leadership - policy advocacy Key Concepts intersectionality structural racism representation empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can allies support Black women’s success? - What strategies help navigate systemic obstacles? A Different Perspective Progress can be slow and met with resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Real boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-boss/) [Vibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibe/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) ## Related quotes > [Barbecue is always good in the south, especially in South Carolina.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/barbecue-is-always-good-in-the-south-especially-in-south-carolina/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [I think the reason my stories have been so successful is that I have a strong sense of metaphor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-think-the-reason-my-stories-have-been-so-successful-is-that-i-have/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Coach Staley is the real boss. You're talking about a woman who won three Olympic gold medals for our country. You're talking about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/coach-staley-is-the-real-boss-you-re-talking-about-a-woman-who-won/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Well, I think mac-and-cheese is that universal piece. Especially in The South, people stake their reputations on mac-and-cheese.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wahlberg/well-i-think-mac-and-cheese-is-that-universal-piece-especially-in-the/) [Paul Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wahlberg/) > [I do wish that people talked about the subject of race, especially in the South,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/i-do-wish-that-people-talked-about-the-subject-of-race-especially-in/) [Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/) > [I know that people everywhere listen to hip-hop, but especially being from the South, you really get that influence. You go out, you party,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-dahlia/i-know-that-people-everywhere-listen-to-hip-hop-but-especially-being/) [Kat Dahlia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-dahlia/) > [“So Ryan got promoted to corporate, where he is a big fish in a little pond. Where as back here in Scranton I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-carell/so-ryan-got-promoted-to-corporate-where-he-is-a-big-fish-in-a-little/) [Steve Carell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-carell/) > [The audience makes the decision of what kind of actor they want to watch. I always have said in the last 20 years, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jet-li/the-audience-makes-the-decision-of-what-kind-of-actor-they-want-to/) [Jet Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jet-li/) > [Your real boss is the one who walks around under your hat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-real-boss-is-the-one-who-walks-around-under-your-hat/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The Republican Party is saying that the president of the United States has bosses, that the union bosses this president around - the unions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/the-republican-party-is-saying-that-the-president-of-the-united/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [“Case had always taken it for granted that the real bosses, the kingpins in a given industry, would be both more and less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/case-had-always-taken-it-for-granted-that-the-real-bosses-the/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [You think your a boss? bitch look at me and see a real boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-garcia/you-think-your-a-boss-bitch-look-at-me-and-see-a-real-boss/) Isabel Garcia > [“Go look in the mirror and have a talk with your real boss”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/go-look-in-the-mirror-and-have-a-talk-with-your-real-boss/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I walk like a boss, talk like a boss, gives order like a boss, work like a boss,and get paid like a boss!!!! ^real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quariboo/i-walk-like-a-boss-talk-like-a-boss-gives-order-like-a-boss-work-like/) [Quariboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quariboo/) > [Your own mental attitude is your real boss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-own-mental-attitude-is-your-real-boss/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More by A'ja Wilson > [There are so many standards that people want you to meet, but you're never going to meet them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/there-are-so-many-standards-that-people-want-you-to-meet-but-you-re/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Due to my collegiate accolades, it was a goal but it was something that I kinda had at the back of my head that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/due-to-my-collegiate-accolades-it-was-a-goal-but-it-was-something/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [I come from teams where they expect me to do a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/i-come-from-teams-where-they-expect-me-to-do-a-lot/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Scouting, man, it's so different up here in the W. Because in college, we'd have all of this time between games. So we'd spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/scouting-man-it-s-so-different-up-here-in-the-w-because-in-college-we/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [My dad had always encouraged me to play basketball, he didn't push me too much at first - he wanted me to try out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/my-dad-had-always-encouraged-me-to-play-basketball-he-didn-t-push-me/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [As Black women, there's so much pressure on us to be everything to everyone. We're expected to wear so many different hats, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/as-black-women-there-s-so-much-pressure-on-us-to-be-everything-to/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [If you would have asked me when I was 16 would I play in the WNBA, I probably would have laughed in your face…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/if-you-would-have-asked-me-when-i-was-16-would-i-play-in-the-wnba-i/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Mary J. Blige and 2000s R&B, I love it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/mary-j-blige-and-2000s-r-b-i-love-it/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [You could ask any of my closest friends - they know I'm going to speak what's on my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/you-could-ask-any-of-my-closest-friends-they-know-i-m-going-to-speak/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [During my rookie year, my parents always talked about me needing vegetables. I was like, 'I'm not a cook. I'm not a chef. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/during-my-rookie-year-my-parents-always-talked-about-me-needing/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Proving the haters wrong is fun, and you're able to play freely when there aren't expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/proving-the-haters-wrong-is-fun-and-you-re-able-to-play-freely-when/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [I'm trying to use my voice to bring people together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/i-m-trying-to-use-my-voice-to-bring-people-together/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [I love candles, they help me relax.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/i-love-candles-they-help-me-relax/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [I was a really weird kid. My head was huge. I had a skinny body, long arms. My kneecaps were oddly big. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/i-was-a-really-weird-kid-my-head-was-huge-i-had-a-skinny-body-long/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) > [Yes, you see me in a uniform. Yes, you can see the banners, the trophies and the rings. But behind all that, I'm a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-ja-wilson/yes-you-see-me-in-a-uniform-yes-you-can-see-the-banners-the-trophies/) [A'ja Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) [Explore all 98 A'ja Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-ja-wilson/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems like no matter how successful you are, or how strong, or how many lives you've changed, or how many banners you've got hanging... If you're a Black woman in this country, especially in the South? 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