--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't think it's necessary to feel…" description: "\"I don't think it's necessary to feel guilty. Because I know that I'm still doing the work that is going to help more sisters and brothers to challenge ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01f/angela-davis-3825_able_i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to-feel-gui_1414913.jpg" --- # I don't think it's necessary to feel guilty. Because I… ![“I don't think it's necessary to feel guilty. Because I know that I'm still doing the work that is going to help more sisters and brothers to challenge the whole criminal justice system, and I'm trying to use whatever knowledge I was able to acquire to continue to do the work in our communities…” quote by Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01f/angela-davis-3825_able_i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to-feel-gui_1414913.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01f/angela-davis-3825_able_i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to-feel-gui_1414913.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01f/angela-davis-3825_able_i-don-t-think-it-s-necessary-to-feel-gui_1414913.jpg) > “I don't think it's necessary to feel guilty. Because I know that I'm still doing the work that is going to help more sisters and brothers to challenge the whole criminal justice system, and I'm trying to use whatever knowledge I was able to acquire to continue to do the work in our communities that will move us forward.” [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues guilt is unnecessary when actions actively improve the justice system for marginalized communities. **In simple terms:** Guilt isn’t needed if you’re helping change the system. Key Takeaway Focus on constructive work, not self‑blame. Themes justice activism community reform Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - community organizing - policy advocacy - education workshops - legal aid Key Concepts systemic change solidarity empowerment Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance activism with personal well‑being? - What actions best advance systemic change? A Different Perspective Guilt can still affect mental health and may hinder self‑care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brothers and sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-and-sisters/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Criminal justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-justice/) [Criminal justice system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminal-justice-system/) [Criminals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criminals/) [Doing The Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-the-work/) [Feel Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-guilty/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Guilty Know](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty-know-1348284/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Justice system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-system/) [Justice Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice-trying-4995366/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Necessary Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-feel-1904930/) [Our community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-community/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > [None but the guilty know the withering pains of repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hosea-ballou/none-but-the-guilty-know-the-withering-pains-of-repentance/) [Hosea Ballou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hosea-ballou/) > [Whether life finds us guilty or not guilty, we ourselves know we are not innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ndor-m-rai/whether-life-finds-us-guilty-or-not-guilty-we-ourselves-know-we-are/) [Sándor Márai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ndor-m-rai/) > [“I listened in Yes I'm guilty of this You should know this”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/i-listened-in-yes-i-m-guilty-of-this-you-should-know-this/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [To be happy in this world, especially when youth is past, it is necessary to feel oneself not merely an isolated individual whose day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/to-be-happy-in-this-world-especially-when-youth-is-past-it-is-2/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [In the beginning what is necessary is to feel that there is something worthwhile to be attained otherwise we won't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/in-the-beginning-what-is-necessary-is-to-feel-that-there-is-something/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm not really good at hiding pain or taking something and transforming it into something good. When those things come along, I really try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-hall/i-m-not-really-good-at-hiding-pain-or-taking-something-and/) [Trevor Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-hall/) > [To be happy in this world, especially when youth is past, it is necessary to feel oneself not merely an isolated individual whose day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/to-be-happy-in-this-world-especially-when-youth-is-past-it-is/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [I don't want to exaggerate; having as many African American men as we've had in the criminal-justice system, and the amount of time it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-don-t-want-to-exaggerate-having-as-many-african-american-men-as-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Victims of crime and the wider community deserve a grown-up debate on our criminal justice system and how we can make it work -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadiq-khan/victims-of-crime-and-the-wider-community-deserve-a-grown-up-debate-on/) [Sadiq Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadiq-khan/) > [A large portion of American citizens, especially people of color, have lost confidence in our criminal justice system. 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I'm not sure that, as a society, we are even interested in that concept anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/america-s-criminal-justice-system-isn-t-known-for-rehabilitation-i-m/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [It's encouraging to watch bipartisan leaders from different states recognize the need for fair and rational legislation focused on creating second chances for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-rubin/it-s-encouraging-to-watch-bipartisan-leaders-from-different-states/) [Michael G. Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-rubin/) > [We need to incorporate that age-old concept of redemption into the work that we do in the criminal justice system in California.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamala-harris/we-need-to-incorporate-that-age-old-concept-of-redemption-into-the/) [Kamala Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamala-harris/) ## More by Angela Davis > [I think in black communities today we need to encourage a lot more cross racial organizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-think-in-black-communities-today-we-need-to-encourage-a-lot-more/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Well of course there's been a great deal of progress over the last 40 years. 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I believe in making contradictions productive, not in having to choose one side or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-m-a-feminist-so-i-believe-in-inhabiting-contradictions-i-believe-in/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Kids these days are kind of going back to Tupac and Snoop Doggy Dogg as examples of people that stand for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/kids-these-days-are-kind-of-going-back-to-tupac-and-snoop-doggy-dogg/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Prisons do not disappear social problems, they disappear human beings. 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