Becoming Quote by Barack Obama
“I was raised by a single mom who had to put herself through school while looking after two kids. And she worked hard every day and made a lot of sacrifices to make sure we got everything we needed. My grandmother, she started off as a secretary in a bank. She never got a college education, even though she was smart as a whip. And she worked her way up to become a vice president of a local bank, but she hit the glass ceiling. She trained people who would end up becoming her bosses during the course of her career.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Remarks on Family Resilience, 2015
Hard work and sacrifice by parents can shape future generations despite systemic barriers.
In simple terms: Parents’ effort builds opportunity.
Key Takeaway
Honor and support those who sacrifice for you.
Themes
family
hard work
social mobility
Mood
hopeful
determined
Type
motivational
social
When to use this quote
- career mentorship
- education advocacy
- community support
Key Concepts
sacrifice
glass ceiling
upward mobility
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we dismantle the glass ceiling?
- What support can we give to single parents?
A Different Perspective
Systemic obstacles may still limit progress despite individual effort.
![“That is another theme in the book [Dreams from My Father]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we get the black to see through the eyes of the white? Or the citizen to see through the eyes of the immigrant? Or the straight to see through the eyes of the gay? That has…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/00d/barack-obama-17_black_that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams_10185.jpg)
