--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great social justice changes in our…" description: "\"The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direct action. It is this right that susta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png" --- # The great social justice changes in our country have… ![“The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direct action. It is this right that sustains and nurtures our democracy today. The civil rights movement, the labor movement, the women's movement, and the equality movement for our LGBT…” quote by Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png) > “The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direct action. It is this right that sustains and nurtures our democracy today. The civil rights movement, the labor movement, the women's movement, and the equality movement for our LGBT brothers and sisters are all manifestations of these rights.” [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective action and solidarity drive social justice, sustaining democratic values through organized movements. **In simple terms:** People together create lasting change. Key Takeaway Join and support collective movements for justice. Themes activism solidarity democracy justice Mood hopeful determined Type political inspirational When to use this quote - protests - community organizing - policy advocacy Key Concepts social movements collective power Questions to Reflect On - How can we sustain long‑term activism? - What role can individuals play? A Different Perspective Movement fatigue can weaken momentum. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brothers and sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-and-sisters/) [Civil Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-right/) [Civil rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights/) [Civil rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-rights-movement/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Direct action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct-action/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Labor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor/) [Labor movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labor-movement/) [Lgbt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lgbt/) [Manifestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manifestation/) [Movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement/) [Nurture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nurture/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Rights movement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights-movement/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-justice/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [In less than a century we experienced great movement. The youth movement! The labor movement! The civil rights movement! The peace movement! The solidarity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/in-less-than-a-century-we-experienced-great-movement-the-youth/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [The right to be married was hard earned by the marriage equality movement and one of its "perks" is the right to use the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-petrow/the-right-to-be-married-was-hard-earned-by-the-marriage-equality/) [Steven Petrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-petrow/) > [When I was younger, I had these romantic ideas about the Black Panther Party and what it meant to be a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/when-i-was-younger-i-had-these-romantic-ideas-about-the-black-panther/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [I would want to go back to the civil rights movement and see how that was. With the information and knowledge I have about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-reid/i-would-want-to-go-back-to-the-civil-rights-movement-and-see-how-that/) [Storm Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-reid/) > [What is needed in the world today is a Civil Rights Movement for the Soul, freeing humanity at last from the oppression of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/what-is-needed-in-the-world-today-is-a-civil-rights-movement-for-the/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [There's no problem on the planet that can't be solved without violence. That's the lesson of the civil rights movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-young/there-s-no-problem-on-the-planet-that-can-t-be-solved-without/) [Andrew Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-young/) > [I have loved the Department of Justice ever since, as a young boy, I watched Robert Kennedy prove during the Civil Rights Movement how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-holder/i-have-loved-the-department-of-justice-ever-since-as-a-young-boy-i/) [Eric Holder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-holder/) > [Covering the civil-rights movement was a mind- and eye-opener for me. Houston was a segregated society, as was Texas as a whole - some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-rather/covering-the-civil-rights-movement-was-a-mind-and-eye-opener-for-me/) [Dan Rather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-rather/) > [“A new civil rights movement cannot be organized around the relics of the earlier system of control if it is to address meaningfully the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/a-new-civil-rights-movement-cannot-be-organized-around-the-relics-of/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [I took an interest in the Civil Rights Movement. I listened to Martin Luther King. The Vietnam War was raging. When I was 18,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/i-took-an-interest-in-the-civil-rights-movement-i-listened-to-martin/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [LISTEN: If you ever wondered what you would do if you were alive in the Civil Rights Movement, NOW IS THE TIME to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/listen-if-you-ever-wondered-what-you-would-do-if-you-were-alive-in/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [I don't think the riots derailed the civil rights movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-don-t-think-the-riots-derailed-the-civil-rights-movement/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [As a southerner born after the epic events of the civil rights movement, I've always wondered how on earth people of good will could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/as-a-southerner-born-after-the-epic-events-of-the-civil-rights/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [The mainstream sort of presentation of the civil rights movement was not something that I directly inherited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/the-mainstream-sort-of-presentation-of-the-civil-rights-movement-was/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [Most students graduate from high school knowing nine words about the civil rights movement: Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, and "I Have a Dream."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-aydin/most-students-graduate-from-high-school-knowing-nine-words-about-the/) [Andrew Aydin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-aydin/) ## More by Dolores Huerta > [When you talk about sacrifices, the ones in my family who have sacrificed are my children, because I love what I'm doing. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/when-you-talk-about-sacrifices-the-ones-in-my-family-who-have/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [As a youngster and being a Latina, you see so much injustice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/as-a-youngster-and-being-a-latina-you-see-so-much-injustice/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [If you don't know, your labor unions and community organizations, there's somebody you can ask to guide you. A lot of people, especially in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/if-you-don-t-know-your-labor-unions-and-community-organizations-there/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Every single day we sit down to eat, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and at our table we have food that was planted, picked, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/every-single-day-we-sit-down-to-eat-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner-and-at/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/every-moment-is-an-organizing-opportunity-every-person-a-potential/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [We know we only have about half of our population that's voting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/we-know-we-only-have-about-half-of-our-population-that-s-voting/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [We have to convince people that they have the power to elect people. The people they are electing are the ones making the decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/we-have-to-convince-people-that-they-have-the-power-to-elect-people/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [If we can just convince other people to get involved, this could make some major changes in our society. It's very exhilarating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/if-we-can-just-convince-other-people-to-get-involved-this-could-make/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Honor the hands that harvest your crops.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/honor-the-hands-that-harvest-your-crops/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [Giving kids clothes and food is one thing, but it's much more important to teach them that other people besides themselves are important and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/giving-kids-clothes-and-food-is-one-thing-but-it-s-much-more/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [I started really noticing, more and more, how men will plagiarize and take credit for women's work... I've noticed that it just happens a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/i-started-really-noticing-more-and-more-how-men-will-plagiarize-and/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [It was really hard for them to intimidate me. They felt I was intimidating. One of the growers had a name for me: I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/it-was-really-hard-for-them-to-intimidate-me-they-felt-i-was/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [I think that's something that all mothers have to deal with, especially single mothers. We work, and we have to leave the kids behind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/i-think-that-s-something-that-all-mothers-have-to-deal-with/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [The first time when I was organizing, I went out and started knocking on doors to see if people were registered to vote. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/the-first-time-when-i-was-organizing-i-went-out-and-started-knocking/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [If you haven't forgiven yourself something, how can you forgive others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/if-you-haven-t-forgiven-yourself-something-how-can-you-forgive-others/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) [Explore all 94 Dolores Huerta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direct action. It is this right that sustains and nurtures our democracy today. The civil rights movement, the labor movement, the women's movement, and the equality movement for our LGBT brothers and sisters are all manifestations of these rights.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dolores Huerta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our-country-have-happened-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our-country-have-happened-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/dolores-huerta-7148_action_the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our_372510.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took…” — Dolores Huerta", "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": "Dolores Huerta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The great social justice changes in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our-country-have-happened-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/the-great-social-justice-changes-in-our-country-have-happened-when/#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 } } ] } ```