--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I spent a long time in the shadows. I…" description: "\"I spent a long time in the shadows. I always had this feeling that I was the only one going through stuff, because I kept it a secret. Once I decided t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/diane-guerrero-3891_attention_i-spent-a-long-time-in-the-shadows-i-alw_1915769.jpg" --- # I spent a long time in the shadows. I always had this… ![“I spent a long time in the shadows. I always had this feeling that I was the only one going through stuff, because I kept it a secret. Once I decided to use my voice in a way that could potentially help others, I found there were a lot of people like me - a lot of kids left behind. So, I wanted to…” quote by Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/diane-guerrero-3891_attention_i-spent-a-long-time-in-the-shadows-i-alw_1915769.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/diane-guerrero-3891_attention_i-spent-a-long-time-in-the-shadows-i-alw_1915769.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/diane-guerrero-3891_attention_i-spent-a-long-time-in-the-shadows-i-alw_1915769.jpg) > “I spent a long time in the shadows. I always had this feeling that I was the only one going through stuff, because I kept it a secret. Once I decided to use my voice in a way that could potentially help others, I found there were a lot of people like me - a lot of kids left behind. So, I wanted to call attention to the issue.” [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sharing personal struggles publicly can reveal hidden communities and inspire collective action. **In simple terms:** Speaking out helps others feel seen. Key Takeaway Use your voice to highlight shared issues. Themes advocacy mental health community visibility Mood empathetic determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - school counseling - youth programs - public forums Key Concepts stigma shared experience empowerment Questions to Reflect On - What stories could you share to help others? - How can you protect your privacy while advocating? A Different Perspective Public disclosure may expose personal vulnerability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Help others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-others/) [Helping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping/) [Helping others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/helping-others/) [Kept Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-secret/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Left behind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-behind/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadow/) [Shadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadows/) [Shadows Feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shadows-feeling-2911907/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wanted Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted-attention-337052/) ## Related quotes > [There's no judgment on bands that continue on who aren't popular; some people get enjoyment out of it. I'm just not one of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/there-s-no-judgment-on-bands-that-continue-on-who-aren-t-popular-some/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [I tried gimmicky stuff 'cause I wanted to get some attention, and remember, you know, in the rap world Seattle was a cave. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-mix-a-lot/i-tried-gimmicky-stuff-cause-i-wanted-to-get-some-attention-and/) [Sir Mix-a-Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-mix-a-lot/) > [I didn't want to be on a major label. I wanted all the attention and the noise to go away because I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/i-didn-t-want-to-be-on-a-major-label-i-wanted-all-the-attention-and/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [“I had never wanted attention, and now I was purposely inviting it. As I had told Dr Duverger, I had little vanity, and yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-holeman/i-had-never-wanted-attention-and-now-i-was-purposely-inviting-it-as-i/) [Linda Holeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-holeman/) > [I was always making my friends laugh, but I never wanted the attention of the whole classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/i-was-always-making-my-friends-laugh-but-i-never-wanted-the-attention/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always wanted praise, and I always wanted attention; I won't lie to you. I was a jazz critic, and that wasn't good enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-pekar/i-always-wanted-praise-and-i-always-wanted-attention-i-won-t-lie-to/) [Harvey Pekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-pekar/) > [I'm the youngest of five kids, and I wanted attention. And in Santa Barbara, there was lots of theater going on, so for that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-edwards/i-m-the-youngest-of-five-kids-and-i-wanted-attention-and-in-santa/) [Anthony Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-edwards/) > [I really wanted attention. I really liked attention. But now that I got all the attention I find myself just, like, chilling by myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nav/i-really-wanted-attention-i-really-liked-attention-but-now-that-i-got/) [Nav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nav/) > [“I wanted all of his attention. I wished I could fill it into a bottle and carry it around with me. I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-b-hme/i-wanted-all-of-his-attention-i-wished-i-could-fill-it-into-a-bottle/) [J.C. Böhme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-b-hme/) > [I was a WASP kid going to a high school that was 99 percent Jewish and I wanted attention and I wanted to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/i-was-a-wasp-kid-going-to-a-high-school-that-was-99-percent-jewish/) [James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/) > [The last thing I wanted was to be with someone who's the same age as me and wanted the limelight, wanted the attention. There's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-gates/the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-be-with-someone-who-s-the-same-age-as/) [Gareth Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-gates/) > [You and your scars. Please! You don't kill youself like this!" I gesture, holding a wrist turned up to the ceiling, then pretending to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-lyga/you-and-your-scars-please-you-don-t-kill-youself-like-this-i-gesture/) [Barry Lyga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-lyga/) > [Treat a woman right and you'll never have to worry about loosing her. All they wont is for you to make them feel wanted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dionta-long/treat-a-woman-right-and-you-ll-never-have-to-worry-about-loosing-her/) [Dionta Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dionta-long/) > [“Popularity was an attractive snare. Only fools wanted attention at the expense of peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bremer-acosta/popularity-was-an-attractive-snare-only-fools-wanted-attention-at-the/) [Bremer Acosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bremer-acosta/) > [“Every want I fulfilled and every desire was quenched. I wanted for nothing. Except attention.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-amelie/every-want-i-fulfilled-and-every-desire-was-quenched-i-wanted-for/) [Fisher Amelie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-amelie/) ## More by Diane Guerrero > [I so desperately wanted to fit in. There was a trajectory, and obviously, our society tells us that you go to high school, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-so-desperately-wanted-to-fit-in-there-was-a-trajectory-and/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I am here, a citizen of this country, and I'm saying, 'Hey, the system failed me. I am a good citizen. I contribute to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-am-here-a-citizen-of-this-country-and-i-m-saying-hey-the-system/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I worked a variety of jobs in retail and at coffee shops all through high school. And, though I was surrounded by people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-worked-a-variety-of-jobs-in-retail-and-at-coffee-shops-all-through/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I've experienced colorism in that way: where if you're lighter, then you'll potentially be accepted into society better than if you were darker-skinned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-ve-experienced-colorism-in-that-way-where-if-you-re-lighter-then/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [Once I started advancing in my career, I stopped wanting to hide from my reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/once-i-started-advancing-in-my-career-i-stopped-wanting-to-hide-from/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [Since when is it good to separate a family?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/since-when-is-it-good-to-separate-a-family/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [Every day, children who are U.S. citizens are separated from their families as a result of immigration policies that need fixing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/every-day-children-who-are-u-s-citizens-are-separated-from-their/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I think despite what we've seen on TV, people like seeing women and knowing about women's stories and their struggles and their truth. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-think-despite-what-we-ve-seen-on-tv-people-like-seeing-women-and/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [People like seeing people being human and real, and I think that's been lacking on TV.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/people-like-seeing-people-being-human-and-real-and-i-think-that-s/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [My parents have always been very honest with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/my-parents-have-always-been-very-honest-with-me/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I feel like you can't really be truthful as an artist and empathize with the human experience, unless you know your truth and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-feel-like-you-can-t-really-be-truthful-as-an-artist-and-empathize/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [While awaiting deportation proceedings, my parents remained in detention near Boston, so I could visit them. They would have liked to fight deportation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/while-awaiting-deportation-proceedings-my-parents-remained-in/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I want to be viewed like a serious actress, and I'm afraid that people are just going to see me as the poor little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-want-to-be-viewed-like-a-serious-actress-and-i-m-afraid-that-people/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I went through depression, which is something that we don't often talk about when we look at undocumented communities and deported families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-went-through-depression-which-is-something-that-we-don-t-often-talk/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [I don't know why I was lucky enough to have people in my community take me in. To be able to continue school. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-don-t-know-why-i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-people-in-my-community/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) [Explore all 120 Diane Guerrero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I spent a long time in the shadows. 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