--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Black Lives Matter was created as a…" description: "\"Black Lives Matter was created as a response to state violence and anti-black racism and a call to action for those who want to fight it and build a wo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg" --- # Black Lives Matter was created as a response to state… ![“Black Lives Matter was created as a response to state violence and anti-black racism and a call to action for those who want to fight it and build a world where black lives do, in fact, matter.” quote by Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg) > “Black Lives Matter was created as a response to state violence and anti-black racism and a call to action for those who want to fight it and build a world where black lives do, in fact, matter.” [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. BLM arose to confront state violence and racism, urging collective action for equality. **In simple terms:** Stand against systemic oppression and support equity. Key Takeaway Engage in activism for racial justice. Themes justice activism racism solidarity Mood determined hopeful Type political movement When to use this quote - protests - policy advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts political science human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can you support BLM locally? - What actions challenge systemic racism? A Different Perspective May face backlash or co‑optation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Black lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives/) [Black lives matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives-matter/) [Black racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-racism/) [Call to action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/call-to-action/) [Fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fight/) [Lives Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lives-matter/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Racism Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism-action-3447809/) [State](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/state/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-black-634079/) ## Related quotes > [Black Lives Matter is our call to action. It is a tool to reimagine a world where black people are free to exist, free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/black-lives-matter-is-our-call-to-action-it-is-a-tool-to-reimagine-a/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [We want to see a world where black lives matter in order for us to get to a world where all of our humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/we-want-to-see-a-world-where-black-lives-matter-in-order-for-us-to/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Black Lives Matter started from a post that I put on Facebook after the acquittal of George Zimmerman. I woke up in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-started-from-a-post-that-i-put-on-facebook-after/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [For me, it's clear Beyonce sees herself as a part of the movement for black lives and believes that black lives matter - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/for-me-it-s-clear-beyonce-sees-herself-as-a-part-of-the-movement-for/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [We are clear that all lives matter, but we live in a world where that's not actually happening in practice. So if we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/we-are-clear-that-all-lives-matter-but-we-live-in-a-world-where-that/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [We've said from the very beginning Black Lives Matter is a network and also, as a broad set of individuals, is an organization moving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/we-ve-said-from-the-very-beginning-black-lives-matter-is-a-network/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Black Lives Matter is not just concerned with what happens in policing. The disregard, the disrespect, and the lack of dignity for black life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-is-not-just-concerned-with-what-happens-in/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Why go from the individual to the entire race, from the singular to the group, from the guilty to the innocent? We know why.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-olusoga/why-go-from-the-individual-to-the-entire-race-from-the-singular-to/) [David Olusoga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-olusoga/) > [“If you travel for years in an integrated band, you see racism in action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/if-you-travel-for-years-in-an-integrated-band-you-see-racism-in-action/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [Black immigrants and refugees have just as much at stake in the fight to make Black Lives Matter as African Americans do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/black-immigrants-and-refugees-have-just-as-much-at-stake-in-the-fight/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [Black lives matter' doesn't mean that all lives do not matter, rather it is a cry for equal treatment in the greater circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/black-lives-matter-doesn-t-mean-that-all-lives-do-not-matter-rather/) [Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/) > [Myself and the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, but in truth, we are loving women whose life experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/myself-and-the-co-founders-of-the-black-lives-matter-movement-have/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [What Black Lives Matter is doing is a deliberate inversion of the proper processes of historical analysis. It is beginning with a conclusion. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/what-black-lives-matter-is-doing-is-a-deliberate-inversion-of-the/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [“I believe Black Lives Matter is a movement to rehumanize black citizens. All lives matter, but not all lives need to be pulled back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-believe-black-lives-matter-is-a-movement-to-rehumanize-black/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [At the end of the day, Black Lives Matter and we all know this and I get when people say all lives matter, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-ripley/at-the-end-of-the-day-black-lives-matter-and-we-all-know-this-and-i/) [Rhea Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-ripley/) ## More by Alicia Garza > [What is it going to take to dismantle the systems that keep me from being able to live well and that keep me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/what-is-it-going-to-take-to-dismantle-the-systems-that-keep-me-from/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Black Lives Matter started from a post that I put on Facebook after the acquittal of George Zimmerman. I woke up in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-started-from-a-post-that-i-put-on-facebook-after/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Police violence is the tip of the iceberg when it relates to the conditions overall of black people across the globe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/police-violence-is-the-tip-of-the-iceberg-when-it-relates-to-the/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Certainly, we have to make sure our police forces do not have weapons of mass destruction with which they can terrorize our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/certainly-we-have-to-make-sure-our-police-forces-do-not-have-weapons/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [People think that we're engaged with identity politics. The truth is that we're doing what the labor movement has always done - organizing people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/people-think-that-we-re-engaged-with-identity-politics-the-truth-is/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [The history of black women in the economy is rooted in the legacy of slavery. Enslaved black women were forced to provide care work,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/the-history-of-black-women-in-the-economy-is-rooted-in-the-legacy-of/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [I think that there is an element where leadership is lonely, but I also believe that it doesn't have to be like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/i-think-that-there-is-an-element-where-leadership-is-lonely-but-i/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [The night that George Zimmerman was acquitted, I think, for black people all over the world, there was a collective feeling of incredible grief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/the-night-that-george-zimmerman-was-acquitted-i-think-for-black/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [We need to make sure we're creating spaces to create new leaders and new types of leadership.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/we-need-to-make-sure-we-re-creating-spaces-to-create-new-leaders-and/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [I have a lot of respect for President Obama, and while I deeply disagree with some of his actions or lack of action on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/i-have-a-lot-of-respect-for-president-obama-and-while-i-deeply/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > ['Socialism' became this weird household word partially because right-wingers call Obama a socialist, which he is the farthest from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/socialism-became-this-weird-household-word-partially-because-right/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [I'll be honest with you: I think that it's really difficult, this framing around 'good cops' and 'bad cops.' Policing, as a system, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/i-ll-be-honest-with-you-i-think-that-it-s-really-difficult-this/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Every successful social movement in this country's history has used disruption as a strategy to fight for social change. Whether it was the Boston…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/every-successful-social-movement-in-this-country-s-history-has-used/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [The reason that I started the Black Futures Lab is because I have some clarity about what I think needs to happen in relationship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/the-reason-that-i-started-the-black-futures-lab-is-because-i-have/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [The reality is that race in the United States operates on a spectrum from black to white. Doesn't mean that people who are in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/the-reality-is-that-race-in-the-united-states-operates-on-a-spectrum/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) [Explore all 84 Alicia Garza quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Black Lives Matter was created as a response to state violence and anti-black racism and a call to action for those who want to fight it and build a world where black lives do, in fact, matter.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alicia Garza" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-response-to-state-violence-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-response-to-state-violence-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0c/alicia-garza-8065_action_black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-resp_2800774.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Black Lives Matter was created as a response to state violence and anti-black racism and a call to action…” — Alicia Garza", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alicia Garza", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Black Lives Matter was created as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-response-to-state-violence-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-was-created-as-a-response-to-state-violence-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```