--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We must be the change we wish to see in…" description: "\"“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”\" — Audre Lorde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg" --- # We must be the change we wish to see in the world. ![“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” quote by Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg) > ““We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”” [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Individuals should embody the change they desire in society. **In simple terms:** Be the change you wish to see. Key Takeaway Act as the catalyst for transformation. Themes activism social justice personal responsibility empowerment leadership Mood motivational empowering Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - advocacy - policy work - education initiatives Key Concepts social change theory self‑efficacy community building Questions to Reflect On - What personal actions can spark broader change? - How do you sustain change over time? A Different Perspective Change alone may not suffice without systemic support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Wish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wish/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“You must see the change you wish to be in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jones/you-must-see-the-change-you-wish-to-be-in-the-world/) Robert Jones > [Be the change you wish to see in the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be the change you wish to see in this world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gandhi/be-the-change-you-wish-to-see-in-this-world/) [Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gandhi/) > [Be the change that you wish to see in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-the-change-that-you-wish-to-see-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be the change that you wish to see the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/be-the-change-that-you-wish-to-see-the-world/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [You must be the change you wish to see in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-must-be-the-change-you-wish-to-see-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do you want to come climb the transformationa l leadership mountain with me? Your first step begins with DESIRE. Do you want to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/do-you-want-to-come-climb-the-transformationa-l-leadership-mountain/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [My wish for the world would be to end violence against women. My wish for myself would be for peace of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/my-wish-for-the-world-would-be-to-end-violence-against-women-my-wish/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Be the competition you wish to see in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-p-naughton/be-the-competition-you-wish-to-see-in-the-world/) [Michael P. Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-p-naughton/) > [I wish for a world where people understand that life is short. So today's the time to do big things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/i-wish-for-a-world-where-people-understand-that-life-is-short-so/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [“Be good to others, if you wish the world to be good with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/be-good-to-others-if-you-wish-the-world-to-be-good-with-you/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [I wish for a world that gets that your 'I Can' is exponentially more important than your IQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-sharma/i-wish-for-a-world-that-gets-that-your-i-can-is-exponentially-more/) [Robin S. Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-sharma/) > [Everybody always asks, 'well don't you wish you a world champion?' Hey, if it happened, it would've been great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-gunn/everybody-always-asks-well-don-t-you-wish-you-a-world-champion-hey-if/) [Billy Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-gunn/) > [“Do you ever wish that sometimes the world would just stop spinning for a few hours to give you a chance to catch up?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/do-you-ever-wish-that-sometimes-the-world-would-just-stop-spinning/) [Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/) ## More by Audre Lorde > [Every woman I have ever loved has left her print upon me, where I loved some invaluable piece of myself apart from me-so different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/every-woman-i-have-ever-loved-has-left-her-print-upon-me-where-i/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [There are many kinds of open. . . Love is a word, another kind of open. . . Take my word for jewel in your open light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-are-many-kinds-of-open-love-is-a-word-another-kind-of-open-take/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Your silence will not protect you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/your-silence-will-not-protect-you/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I can't really define it in sexual terms alone although our sexuality is so energizing why not enjoy it too?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-can-t-really-define-it-in-sexual-terms-alone-although-our-sexuality/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“For once we begin to feel deeply all the aspects of our lives, we begin to demand from ourselves and from our life-pursuits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/for-once-we-begin-to-feel-deeply-all-the-aspects-of-our-lives-we/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [the fear of death is that you are dying too soon. Nobody wants to, but at the point that you die you can pray…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-fear-of-death-is-that-you-are-dying-too-soon-nobody-wants-to-but/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“There is an important difference between openness and naïveté. Not everyone has good intentions nor means me well. I remind myself I do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/there-is-an-important-difference-between-openness-and-na-vet-not/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [What are the words you do not yet have? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/what-are-the-words-you-do-not-yet-have-what-do-you-need-to-say-what/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [I learned to read from Mrs. Augusta Baker, the children's librarian. ... If that was the only good deed that lady ever did in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-learned-to-read-from-mrs-augusta-baker-the-children-s-librarian-if/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Poetry is not only dream and vision; it is the skeleton architecture of our lives. It lays the foundations for a future of change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/poetry-is-not-only-dream-and-vision-it-is-the-skeleton-architecture/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I think that in America there are certain kinds of problems and in Russia there are certain kinds of problems, but basically, when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-think-that-in-america-there-are-certain-kinds-of-problems-and-in/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [Institutionalized rejection of differences is an absolute necessity in a profit economy which needs outsiders as surplus people. As members of such an economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/institutionalized-rejection-of-differences-is-an-absolute-necessity/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic, or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/the-sharing-of-joy-whether-physical-emotional-psychic-or-intellectual/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [“I forgot what we were celebrating. Because we were always celebrating something, a new job, a new poem, a new love, a new dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/i-forgot-what-we-were-celebrating-because-we-were-always-celebrating/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) > [How a diamond comes into a knot of flame How a sound comes into a word, coloured By who pays what for speaking. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/how-a-diamond-comes-into-a-knot-of-flame-how-a-sound-comes-into-a/) [Audre Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) [Explore all 377 Audre Lorde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Audre Lorde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in-the-world/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in-the-world/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d6/audre-lorde-758_change_we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in_1740132.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We must be the change we wish to see in the world.” — Audre Lorde", "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": "Audre Lorde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audre-lorde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We must be the change we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in-the-world/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audre-lorde/we-must-be-the-change-we-wish-to-see-in-the-world/#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 } } ] } ```