--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words can build up communities or break…" description: "\"Words can build up communities or break them down.\" — Cori Bush" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/cori-bush-5312_break_words-can-build-up-communities-or-break_3022313.jpg" --- # Words can build up communities or break them down. ![“Words can build up communities or break them down.” quote by Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/cori-bush-5312_break_words-can-build-up-communities-or-break_3022313.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/cori-bush-5312_break_words-can-build-up-communities-or-break_3022313.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/cori-bush-5312_break_words-can-build-up-communities-or-break_3022313.jpg) > “Words can build up communities or break them down.” [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words have the power to either unite communities or cause division, depending on how they are used. **In simple terms:** Words can build or break communities. Key Takeaway Choose language that fosters unity. Themes communication community power Mood hopeful reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - political discourse - social media - public speaking - conflict resolution - team building Key Concepts social cohesion rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - How can you use language to bridge gaps? - What words have helped you feel included? A Different Perspective Words alone cannot heal deep divides without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build/) [Build Communities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-communities-578890/) [Communities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communities/) [Communities Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communities-break-4898638/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Down](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/down/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) [Words Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-build-907724/) ## Related quotes > [I'm building shopping centers and movie theaters in the inner cities. So that means supplying jobs and letting blacks understand that we have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magic-johnson/i-m-building-shopping-centers-and-movie-theaters-in-the-inner-cities/) [Magic Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magic-johnson/) > [“If you build communities and you do things in public,” he says, “you don’t have to find the right people, they find you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-ismail/if-you-build-communities-and-you-do-things-in-public-he-says-you-don/) [Salim Ismail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-ismail/) > [What America was built on was being able to say, 'Hey, we're going to come in and use our resources to build for ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/what-america-was-built-on-was-being-able-to-say-hey-we-re-going-to/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [If we want to build communities that are safe, we have to address the root causes of violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/if-we-want-to-build-communities-that-are-safe-we-have-to-address-the/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [“Words can either build you or break you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-messe/words-can-either-build-you-or-break-you/) [Ellie Messe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-messe/) > [It is incumbent upon all of us to build communities with the educational opportunities and support systems in place to help our youth become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-hinojosa/it-is-incumbent-upon-all-of-us-to-build-communities-with-the/) [Ruben Hinojosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-hinojosa/) > [The words we choose can build communities, reunite loved ones, and inspire others. They can be a catalyst for change. However, our words also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-words-we-choose-can-build-communities-reunite-loved-ones-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was always fascinated with the way that things pop on the Internet - the ways you build communities and create little stories and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hodgman/i-was-always-fascinated-with-the-way-that-things-pop-on-the-internet/) [John Hodgman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hodgman/) > [Obama used to be a community organizer. He knows how to build communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/obama-used-to-be-a-community-organizer-he-knows-how-to-build/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [The team exists to accomplish a result. The community exists to support its members while they fulfill their purpose. . . . When partnerships,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gibb/the-team-exists-to-accomplish-a-result-the-community-exists-to/) [Peter Gibb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gibb/) > [Words will build no walls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/words-will-build-no-walls/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Words are everything to me. Words can build you up and feel so good. On the flip side, words can absolutely demolish you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/words-are-everything-to-me-words-can-build-you-up-and-feel-so-good-on/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [“I read because one life isn't enough, and in the page of a book I can be anybody; I read because the words that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-peck/i-read-because-one-life-isn-t-enough-and-in-the-page-of-a-book-i-can/) [Richard Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-peck/) > [“Words can create, words give life, words can build, words can destroy. Words can bring something out of nothing. What are you saying?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-adeniyi/words-can-create-words-give-life-words-can-build-words-can-destroy/) [Elizabeth Adeniyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-adeniyi/) > [“So much hanging on just these things, tiny increments that together build a life. Like words build a story, and what had Ted said?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/so-much-hanging-on-just-these-things-tiny-increments-that-together/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More by Cori Bush > [Racism is not just slavery and Jim Crow. It is the daily violence that is enacted on our communities each and every day we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/racism-is-not-just-slavery-and-jim-crow-it-is-the-daily-violence-that/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Juneteenth has always been a symbol of freedom deferred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/juneteenth-has-always-been-a-symbol-of-freedom-deferred/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Debt collectors should not be able to call, email, or text you to the point of harassment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/debt-collectors-should-not-be-able-to-call-email-or-text-you-to-the/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Joe Biden cannot leave the lives of those on death row in the hands of future presidents. If he truly opposes the death penalty,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/joe-biden-cannot-leave-the-lives-of-those-on-death-row-in-the-hands/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [While I cannot speak on behalf of the AAPI community, I do want to say that I stand in solidarity with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/while-i-cannot-speak-on-behalf-of-the-aapi-community-i-do-want-to-say/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Our communities deserve a just response to years of disinvestment in our communities that have led to poor health outcomes and crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/our-communities-deserve-a-just-response-to-years-of-disinvestment-in/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [When I worked in childcare, I could not afford to send my own children to the center where I worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/when-i-worked-in-childcare-i-could-not-afford-to-send-my-own-children/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Every time that I speak on the House Floor or in one of our committee hearings, I begin with the words, 'St. Louis and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/every-time-that-i-speak-on-the-house-floor-or-in-one-of-our-committee/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [We faced police dogs when we fought for justice for Mike Brown in Ferguson in 2014.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/we-faced-police-dogs-when-we-fought-for-justice-for-mike-brown-in/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [St. Louis' locally owned restaurants are part of the heart and soul of our city. 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It was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/despite-the-adversity-that-george-floyd-endured-he-was-full-of-life/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [As we work to do the most for everyone in Missouri's First District beginning with those who have the least, we have to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/as-we-work-to-do-the-most-for-everyone-in-missouri-s-first-district/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [The death penalty is an inhumane punishment that disproportionately violates the human rights of Black, brown, indigenous, and other marginalized people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/the-death-penalty-is-an-inhumane-punishment-that-disproportionately/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) > [Honoring George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown Jr., and too many other Black people taken from our communities by state violence is at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cori-bush/honoring-george-floyd-breonna-taylor-michael-brown-jr-and-too-many/) [Cori Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) [Explore all 101 Cori Bush quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cori-bush/) ## More Break quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. 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No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/your-pain-is-the-breaking-of-the-shell-that-encloses-your/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I hadn't worked for a year when I had my Prison Break audition and it was the easiest audition I've ever had. I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-hadn-t-worked-for-a-year-when-i-had-my-prison-break-audition-and-it/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [If you strike upon a thought that baffles you, break off from that entanglement and try another, so shall your wits be fresh to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristophanes/if-you-strike-upon-a-thought-that-baffles-you-break-off-from-that/) [Aristophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristophanes/) > [“A hole ain’t nothing either, but you can still break your neck in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-donati/a-hole-ain-t-nothing-either-but-you-can-still-break-your-neck-in-it/) [Sara Donati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-donati/) > [“I break things, a lot of things, but I don’t want one of them to be you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/i-break-things-a-lot-of-things-but-i-don-t-want-one-of-them-to-be-you/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Motor racing's less of a sport these days than a commercial break doing 150 mph.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dunne/motor-racing-s-less-of-a-sport-these-days-than-a-commercial-break/) [Peter Dunne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dunne/) > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The purpose is to be in gratitude forever. 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