--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are a society that has been structured…" description: "\"We are a society that has been structured from top to bottom by race. You don't get beyond that by deciding not to talk about it anymore. It will alway..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/kimberle-williams-crenshaw-112_always_we-are-a-society-that-has-been-structure_2254235.jpg" --- # We are a society that has been structured from top to… ![“We are a society that has been structured from top to bottom by race. You don't get beyond that by deciding not to talk about it anymore. It will always come back; it will always reassert itself over and over again.” quote by Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/kimberle-williams-crenshaw-112_always_we-are-a-society-that-has-been-structure_2254235.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/kimberle-williams-crenshaw-112_always_we-are-a-society-that-has-been-structure_2254235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c5/kimberle-williams-crenshaw-112_always_we-are-a-society-that-has-been-structure_2254235.jpg) > “We are a society that has been structured from top to bottom by race. You don't get beyond that by deciding not to talk about it anymore. It will always come back; it will always reassert itself over and over again.” [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Systemic racial structures persist despite avoidance; ignoring the issue doesn't eliminate its impact. **In simple terms:** Race structures stay even if ignored. Key Takeaway Confront and address racial dynamics directly. Themes race systemic inequality dialogue Mood urgent reflective Type activist analytical When to use this quote - policy making - education reform - community organizing Key Concepts intersectionality social justice Questions to Reflect On - What actions can break the cycle of avoidance? - How can dialogue be fostered without retraumatizing? A Different Perspective Denial can reinforce oppression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Society Structured](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society-structured-1330164/) [Structured Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structured-race-5161217/) [Talk Anymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-anymore/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [In a society which is structured the wrong way, piety has no effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/in-a-society-which-is-structured-the-wrong-way-piety-has-no-effect/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [You have to totally change the way that society's structured in order to being to heal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-soloway/you-have-to-totally-change-the-way-that-society-s-structured-in-order/) [Jill Soloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-soloway/) > [If you look at the way society is structured , it is structured to keep people overwhelmingly in a state of fear and always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/if-you-look-at-the-way-society-is-structured-it-is-structured-to-keep/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [Society has to be structured such that there are checks and balances, so that it can't be manipulated, for instance, for the profit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/society-has-to-be-structured-such-that-there-are-checks-and-balances/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [I cant talk to you anymore, its not that I am mad at you, its just that when I talk to you I realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-cant-talk-to-you-anymore-its-not-that-i-am-mad-at-you-its-just-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I think there’s nothing left for me. I don’t think that for everyone else.” “So what do they have that you don’t at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-summers/i-think-there-s-nothing-left-for-me-i-don-t-think-that-for-everyone/) [Courtney Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-summers/) > [I wanted to call you and hear your voice then I realized we don't talk anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/i-wanted-to-call-you-and-hear-your-voice-then-i-realized-we-don-t/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [“Soon, nobody was leaving their cubicles to talk anymore, and we were either e-mailing each other random thoughts or scheduling meetings, or speaking over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-herz/soon-nobody-was-leaving-their-cubicles-to-talk-anymore-and-we-were/) [Christopher Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-herz/) > [“I can’t talk to you anymore. I can’t talk to you with words with thoughts with silence. I can’t talk to you anymore (she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-j-ginger/i-can-t-talk-to-you-anymore-i-can-t-talk-to-you-with-words-with/) [Coco J. Ginger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-j-ginger/) > [Remember when we were happy together? I miss that. now we never talk anymore. its like we never knew each other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-when-we-were-happy-together-i-miss-that-now-we-never-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There was nothing to talk about anymore. The only thing to do was go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/there-was-nothing-to-talk-about-anymore-the-only-thing-to-do-was-go/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I can't talk to you anymore, its not that I'm mad at you. Its just when I talk to you I realize how much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-can-t-talk-to-you-anymore-its-not-that-i-m-mad-at-you-its-just-when/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [We don't even talk anymore...All your number does in my phone is take up a memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-don-t-even-talk-anymore-all-your-number-does-in-my-phone-is-take/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We don't talk anymore, and I don't understand why. it's like you gave me wings, then told me it's illegal to fly..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-don-t-talk-anymore-and-i-don-t-understand-why-it-s-like-you-gave/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The most important thing in all human relationships is conversation, but people don’t talk anymore, they don’t sit down to talk and listen. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/the-most-important-thing-in-all-human-relationships-is-conversation/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) ## More by Kimberle Williams Crenshaw > [Black women's intersectional experiences of racism and sexism have been a central but forgotten dynamic in the unfolding of feminist and antiracist agendas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/black-women-s-intersectional-experiences-of-racism-and-sexism-have/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Sexism isn't a one-size-fits-all phenomenon. It doesn't happen to black and white women the same way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/sexism-isn-t-a-one-size-fits-all-phenomenon-it-doesn-t-happen-to/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [People with problems are not problem people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/people-with-problems-are-not-problem-people/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Our democracy cannot be left in the hands of those who would rather watch or participate in a train wreck than stop it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/our-democracy-cannot-be-left-in-the-hands-of-those-who-would-rather/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Antiracists must acknowledge that patriarchy has long been a weapon of racism and cannot sit comfortably in any politic of racial transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/antiracists-must-acknowledge-that-patriarchy-has-long-been-a-weapon/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [We must all stand against both the continual, systematic, and structural racial inequities that normalize daily violence as well as against extreme acts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/we-must-all-stand-against-both-the-continual-systematic-and/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Intersectionality is an analytic sensibility, a way of thinking about identity and its relationship to power. Originally articulated on behalf of black women, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/intersectionality-is-an-analytic-sensibility-a-way-of-thinking-about/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [We might have to broaden our scope of how we think about where women are vulnerable, because different things make different women vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/we-might-have-to-broaden-our-scope-of-how-we-think-about-where-women/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [... not all black women have silently acquiesced in sexism and misogyny within the African-American community. Indeed, many writers, activists, and other women have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/not-all-black-women-have-silently-acquiesced-in-sexism-and-misogyny/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Ideally, schools should be supportive environments for students. Unfortunately, zero-tolerance policies tend to funnel vulnerable students out of schools and into prisons, low-income jobs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/ideally-schools-should-be-supportive-environments-for-students/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [Censorship is certainly not the answer to controversial material and is inconsistent with our most basic constitutional values.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/censorship-is-certainly-not-the-answer-to-controversial-material-and/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [The point of feminism is you shouldn't have to be a man to be treated with equal respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/the-point-of-feminism-is-you-shouldn-t-have-to-be-a-man-to-be-treated/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [It's not about supplication, it's about power. It's not about asking, it's about demanding. It's not about convincing those who are currently in power,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/it-s-not-about-supplication-it-s-about-power-it-s-not-about-asking-it/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [While white women and men of color also experience discrimination, all too often their experiences are taken as the only point of departure for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/while-white-women-and-men-of-color-also-experience-discrimination-all/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) > [If we aren’t intersectional, some of us, the most vulnerable, are going to fall through the cracks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/if-we-aren-t-intersectional-some-of-us-the-most-vulnerable-are-going/) [Kimberle Williams Crenshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) [Explore all 61 Kimberle Williams Crenshaw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberle-williams-crenshaw/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) [Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We are a society that has been structured from top to bottom by race. 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