--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I could have easily been a statistic…" description: "\"I could have easily been a statistic. Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., it was easy - a little too easy - to get into trouble. Surrounded by poor schools, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/al-sharpton-2091_been_i-could-have-easily-been-a-statistic-gro_3229300.png" --- # I could have easily been a statistic. Growing up in… ![“I could have easily been a statistic. Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., it was easy - a little too easy - to get into trouble. Surrounded by poor schools, lack of resources, high unemployment rates, poverty, gangs and more, I watched as many of my peers fell victim to a vicious cycle of diminished…” quote by Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/al-sharpton-2091_been_i-could-have-easily-been-a-statistic-gro_3229300.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/al-sharpton-2091_been_i-could-have-easily-been-a-statistic-gro_3229300.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/al-sharpton-2091_been_i-could-have-easily-been-a-statistic-gro_3229300.png) > “I could have easily been a statistic. Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., it was easy - a little too easy - to get into trouble. Surrounded by poor schools, lack of resources, high unemployment rates, poverty, gangs and more, I watched as many of my peers fell victim to a vicious cycle of diminished opportunities and imprisonment.” [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Many youths become statistics due to systemic poverty and lack of opportunity, highlighting the need for societal change. **In simple terms:** Poverty traps youth into crime and imprisonment. Key Takeaway Address systemic inequality to break the cycle. Themes poverty education opportunity justice community Mood urgent hopeful Type advocacy call to action When to use this quote - school reform - job training - mentorship programs - policy advocacy Key Concepts structural inequality social mobility crime prevention Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can reduce youth incarceration? - How can communities empower at‑risk youth? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑rooted systems is challenging and slow. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Brooklyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brooklyn/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Cycle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycle/) [Diminished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diminished/) [Easily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easily/) [Easily Statistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easily-statistic-6102351/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Fell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fell/) [Gangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gangs/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Growing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/high/) [Imprisonment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imprisonment/) [Lack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack/) [Lack Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack-resources-429712/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Many](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/many/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Opportunities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunities/) [Peers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peers/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Gangs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-gangs-6102352/) [Rates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rates/) [Resources](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resources/) [Schools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schools/) [Statistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/statistic/) [Surrounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrounded/) [Surrounded Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrounded-poor-3929602/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Too easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-easy/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Unemployment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unemployment/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Vicious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vicious/) [Victim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victim/) [Watched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/watched/) ## Related quotes > [They've got us surrounded again, the poor bastards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-ve-got-us-surrounded-again-the-poor-bastards/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we continue to tolerate this level of poverty in our cities, and go along with eviction as commonplace in poor neighborhoods, it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-we-continue-to-tolerate-this-level-of-poverty-in-our-cities-and-go/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [A lack of resources may slow you down, but don't let it make you throw away a big idea. Give God five years, ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/a-lack-of-resources-may-slow-you-down-but-don-t-let-it-make-you-throw/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Imagination and invention go hand in hand. Remember how lack of resources was never a problem in childhood games? Shift a few pieces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/imagination-and-invention-go-hand-in-hand-remember-how-lack-of/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [My number-one theory in life is that style is proportional to your lack of resources - the less you have, the more stylish you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/my-number-one-theory-in-life-is-that-style-is-proportional-to-your/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [If poverty persists in America, it is not for lack of resources. We lack something else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/if-poverty-persists-in-america-it-is-not-for-lack-of-resources-we/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [Being poor is not an indication of potential or worth. It’s a lack of resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-harrison/being-poor-is-not-an-indication-of-potential-or-worth-it-s-a-lack-of/) [Kim Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-harrison/) > [“This is a hard truth for some to accept: that a lack of resources may not be their true constraint, just a lack of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-burkus/this-is-a-hard-truth-for-some-to-accept-that-a-lack-of-resources-may/) [David Burkus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-burkus/) > [You don't lack resources. You lack resourcefulness .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/you-don-t-lack-resources-you-lack-resourcefulness/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [The lack of resources is no longer an excuse not to act. The idea that action should only be taken after all the answers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-lerner/the-lack-of-resources-is-no-longer-an-excuse-not-to-act-the-idea-that/) [Jaime Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-lerner/) > [It's not the lack of resources that cause failure, it's the lack of resourcefulness that causes failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/it-s-not-the-lack-of-resources-that-cause-failure-it-s-the-lack-of/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [“poor countries are poor not because they lack resources, but because they lack effective political institutions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/poor-countries-are-poor-not-because-they-lack-resources-but-because/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the issues facing us today is that there are countries where there is a serious lack of resources, the standards of living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-merkle/one-of-the-issues-facing-us-today-is-that-there-are-countries-where/) [Ralph Merkle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-merkle/) > [Lack of resources (payroll), time and competing priorities are why so many nonprofits haven't done well. It's that simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/lack-of-resources-payroll-time-and-competing-priorities-are-why-so/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [People don't lack resources, they just lack control over their resources.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/people-don-t-lack-resources-they-just-lack-control-over-their/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) ## More by Al Sharpton > [We blacks had problems in the '60s and we solved them by marching. We've still got problems - let's march.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/we-blacks-had-problems-in-the-60s-and-we-solved-them-by-marching-we/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [When a mother or father is willing to pay smugglers and risk the lives of their own children by sending them on a dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/when-a-mother-or-father-is-willing-to-pay-smugglers-and-risk-the/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [My message to everyone: the next time you hear about migrant children near the border, just picture them as your own. Then think what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/my-message-to-everyone-the-next-time-you-hear-about-migrant-children/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [What’s wrong with denouncing white interlopers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/what-s-wrong-with-denouncing-white-interlopers/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [Bill Clinton strikes me as the kind of guy who goes wherever the polls lead him, rather than leading the polls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/bill-clinton-strikes-me-as-the-kind-of-guy-who-goes-wherever-the/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I feel that it is our moral obligation to stand and to be courageous with these families, and particularly Cindy, that have become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-feel-that-it-is-our-moral-obligation-to-stand-and-to-be-courageous/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [Getting Democrats organized is like herding cats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/getting-democrats-organized-is-like-herding-cats/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I'm very cautious and very concerned about what I have initially seen, but I also believe we've got to organize like we have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-m-very-cautious-and-very-concerned-about-what-i-have-initially-seen/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I do believe the Democratic party has moved far to the right. I do believe that the party has a bunch of elephants running…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-do-believe-the-democratic-party-has-moved-far-to-the-right-i-do/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I need to hear something about how he's going to bring people together in the spirit, hopefully, of Martin Luther King Jr., and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-need-to-hear-something-about-how-he-s-going-to-bring-people/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [The Democratic Party hasn't whipped anybody into a frenzy. The assumption is that the people that are marching and protesting and standing up against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/the-democratic-party-hasn-t-whipped-anybody-into-a-frenzy-the/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [The resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder is met with both pride and disappointment by the Civil Rights community. We are proud that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/the-resignation-of-attorney-general-eric-holder-is-met-with-both/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [ It does not appear, nor is there any reason to believe that \[ Jeff Sessions\] will put policing reform front and center in the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/it-does-not-appear-nor-is-there-any-reason-to-believe-that-jeff/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I can call a march, and thousands come out, and I happen to have access to the White House at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-can-call-a-march-and-thousands-come-out-and-i-happen-to-have-access/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [I've learned how to measure what I say. Al Sharpton in 1986 was trying to be heard. I was a local guy and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/i-ve-learned-how-to-measure-what-i-say-al-sharpton-in-1986-was-trying/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) [Explore all 186 Al Sharpton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) [Browse all 13,699 Been quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I could have easily been a statistic. Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., it was easy - a little too easy - to get into trouble. 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