--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need someone who will stand up and…" description: "\"We need someone who will stand up and speak up and speak out for the people who need help, for people who are being discriminated against. And it doesn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/john-lewis-1310_american_we-need-someone-who-will-stand-up-and-sp_2760203.jpg" --- # We need someone who will stand up and speak up and speak… ![“We need someone who will stand up and speak up and speak out for the people who need help, for people who are being discriminated against. And it doesn't matter whether they are black or white, Latino, Asian or Native American, whether they are straight or gay, Muslim, Christian, or Jews.” quote by John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/john-lewis-1310_american_we-need-someone-who-will-stand-up-and-sp_2760203.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/john-lewis-1310_american_we-need-someone-who-will-stand-up-and-sp_2760203.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/504/john-lewis-1310_american_we-need-someone-who-will-stand-up-and-sp_2760203.jpg) > “We need someone who will stand up and speak up and speak out for the people who need help, for people who are being discriminated against. And it doesn't matter whether they are black or white, Latino, Asian or Native American, whether they are straight or gay, Muslim, Christian, or Jews.” [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates for universal allyship, urging people to defend any marginalized group regardless of identity. **In simple terms:** Stand up for all oppressed people. Key Takeaway Speak out for anyone facing discrimination. Themes eity activism solidarity Mood determined hopeful Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - Community meetings - online petitions - supporting protestors - educational workshops Key Concepts Human rights intersectionality civic duty Questions to Reflect On - How can you amplify voices of those you cannot see? - What actions can you take today to support a marginalized group? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic issues if focusing only on individual cases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black or white](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-or-white/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [Help people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help-people/) [Muslim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muslim/) ## Related quotes > [We need someone who is going to stand up, speak up, and speak out for the people who need help, for the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/we-need-someone-who-is-going-to-stand-up-speak-up-and-speak-out-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I have long felt that the trouble with discrimination is not discrimination per se, but rather that the people who are discriminated against think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalyn-sussman-yalow/i-have-long-felt-that-the-trouble-with-discrimination-is-not/) [Rosalyn Sussman Yalow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalyn-sussman-yalow/) > [In the area of economic justice, we still have a long way to go. We have too many people who are discriminated against just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/in-the-area-of-economic-justice-we-still-have-a-long-way-to-go-we/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [“It speaks volumes when people who are discriminated against go on to discriminate against others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/it-speaks-volumes-when-people-who-are-discriminated-against-go-on-to/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [It's not just about showbusiness - everywhere you go people are discriminated against. And if by having an organised voice against inequality and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-henry/it-s-not-just-about-showbusiness-everywhere-you-go-people-are/) [Lenny Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-henry/) > [The fact that people are poor or discriminated against doesn't necessarily endow them with any special qualities of justice, nobility, charity or compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-fact-that-people-are-poor-or-discriminated-against-doesn-t/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [Only people who have been discriminated against can really know how much it hurts. Each person feels the pain in his own way, each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/only-people-who-have-been-discriminated-against-can-really-know-how/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [America that is divided against itself cannot stand, and we cannot say we have all of this unity they say we have when black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/america-that-is-divided-against-itself-cannot-stand-and-we-cannot-say/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [“These efforts curtailed the ability of black people to buy better housing, to move to better neighborhoods, and to build wealth. 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It doesn't matter whether we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/what-march-is-saying-is-that-it-doesn-t-matter-whether-we-are-black/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [We are a people in more need of a little character than we are in need of an abundance of knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdullah-ibn-mubarak/we-are-a-people-in-more-need-of-a-little-character-than-we-are-in/) [Abdullah ibn Mubarak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdullah-ibn-mubarak/) > [Men who cannot exploit the co-operative benefits derived from institutions in modern knowledge economies are discriminated against by girls and so have fewer children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-wills/men-who-cannot-exploit-the-co-operative-benefits-derived-from/) Christopher Wills > [If you ignore somebody's record and only focus on something that happened 25 years ago when all they were doing even then was trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ellison/if-you-ignore-somebody-s-record-and-only-focus-on-something-that/) [Keith Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ellison/) ## More by John Lewis > [ I happen to believe that this election year \[2016\] is...one of the most important elections that we're going to face in a very long… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-happen-to-believe-that-this-election-year-2016-is-one-of-the-most/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [If you're not hopeful and optimistic, then you just give up. You have to take that long hard look and just believe that if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/if-you-re-not-hopeful-and-optimistic-then-you-just-give-up-you-have/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The reward for playing jazz is playing jazz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/the-reward-for-playing-jazz-is-playing-jazz/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [I am very, very hopeful about the American South - I believe that we will lead America to what Dr. King called 'the beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/i-am-very-very-hopeful-about-the-american-south-i-believe-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ \[Donald Trump's inauguration\] will be the first one that I miss since I've been in Congress. 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Now we have to create a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/now-we-have-black-and-white-elected-officials-working-together-today/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“For me, the nomination of Barack Obama as a candidate for president and his inauguration in Washington represents a brief glimpse at the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/for-me-the-nomination-of-barack-obama-as-a-candidate-for-president/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Too many people struggled, suffered, and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/too-many-people-struggled-suffered-and-died-to-make-it-possible-for/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [The vote is precious. 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Right now, what my - my job is right now going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/right-now-what-my-job-is-pardon-me-those-are-just-words-right-now/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [ Donald Trump has made it clear that certainly over the last few years that President \[Barack\] Obama was born in Hawaii. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/donald-trump-has-made-it-clear-that-certainly-over-the-last-few-years/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) [Explore all 258 John Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. 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W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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