--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise…" description: "\"All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.\" — Samantha Power" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg" --- # All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy. ![“All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.” quote by Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg) > “All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.” [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocacy hinges on truly understanding others' feelings and perspectives. **In simple terms:** Advocacy needs empathy. Key Takeaway Practice listening to see others' views. Themes empathy advocacy leadership Mood inspired thoughtful Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community organizing - conflict resolution Key Concepts human rights social change communication Questions to Reflect On - How can you deepen empathy in a polarized environment? - What actions follow empathetic understanding? A Different Perspective Empathy alone may not change entrenched power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advocacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advocacy/) [Advocacy Core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advocacy-core-544614/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Core](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/core/) [Core Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/core-exercise-544615/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Exercise Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise-empathy-362608/) [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) ## Related quotes > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? 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You sit on the round side…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariel-zagunis/with-sabre-fencing-it-s-important-to-have-a-strong-core-i-do-an/) [Mariel Zagunis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariel-zagunis/) > [I've always thought of acting as more of an exercise in empathy, which is not to be confused with sympathy. You're trying to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/i-ve-always-thought-of-acting-as-more-of-an-exercise-in-empathy-which/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [I thought, "Why? and how did we evolve with this weak, and useless passion in tact within the deep heart's core?" 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We can be convinced logically of the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-capecci-and-timothy-cage/the-enormity-of-problems-like-hunger-and-social-injustice-can/) [John Capecci and Timothy Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-capecci-and-timothy-cage/) > [“There is an overflowing grace, for every great work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-an-overflowing-grace-for-every-great-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Advocacy groups, politicians, and bureaucrats use the government to advance their private good instead of the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-miller/advocacy-groups-politicians-and-bureaucrats-use-the-government-to/) [Joel Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-miller/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) ## More by Samantha Power > [There are something like 300 anti-genocide chapters on college campuses around the country. It's bigger than the anti-apartheid movement. There are something like 500…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/there-are-something-like-300-anti-genocide-chapters-on-college/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [Virtually all of Darfur's six million residents are Muslim, and, because of decades of intermarriage, almost everyone has dark skin and African features.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/virtually-all-of-darfur-s-six-million-residents-are-muslim-and/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [There is a fair amount of competition, obviously, with ISIL and the terrorist networks around the world, China also posing a different kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/there-is-a-fair-amount-of-competition-obviously-with-isil-and-the/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [All we talk about is 'Islamic terrorism.' If the two words are associated for long enough it's obviously going to have an effect on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/all-we-talk-about-is-islamic-terrorism-if-the-two-words-are/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [In the '90s, there was scant presidential leadership and insufficient domestic political mobilization for foreign policy grounded in human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/in-the-90s-there-was-scant-presidential-leadership-and-insufficient/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [Initially, I tried to become an aid worker and someone who could help people, but I was unsuccessful in convincing anyone that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/initially-i-tried-to-become-an-aid-worker-and-someone-who-could-help/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [I tell young people: If you make a job choice on the basis of something other than your nose or your gut, it's unlikely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-tell-young-people-if-you-make-a-job-choice-on-the-basis-of/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [I was extremely close to my father, inseparable. Where we hung out most of the time was the pub.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-was-extremely-close-to-my-father-inseparable-where-we-hung-out-most/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [When I wake up in the morning, I think about Syria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/when-i-wake-up-in-the-morning-i-think-about-syria/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [President Reagan, of course, did more than any other person to entrench the Republican reputation for toughness on national security.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/president-reagan-of-course-did-more-than-any-other-person-to-entrench/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [American decision-makers must understand how damaging a foreign policy that privileges order and profit over justice really is in the long term.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/american-decision-makers-must-understand-how-damaging-a-foreign/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [I have only so many foreign-language neurons. When I learned Spanish, that displaced whatever Irish was left, and then I learned German, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/i-have-only-so-many-foreign-language-neurons-when-i-learned-spanish/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [In many college classes, laptops depict split screens - notes from a class, and then a range of parallel stimulants: NBA playoff statistics on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/in-many-college-classes-laptops-depict-split-screens-notes-from-a/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [America needs a sensible, sustainable Iran policy that can meet U.S. security and economic interests, command international support and withstand the shifting Middle Eastern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/america-needs-a-sensible-sustainable-iran-policy-that-can-meet-u-s/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) > [The U.S. government engages with many countries around the world in official dialogues on human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/the-u-s-government-engages-with-many-countries-around-the-world-in/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) [Explore all 118 Samantha Power quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) ## More Advocacy quotes > [“Good morning,” one of the soldiers said. “I’m Captain Joseph Walker and this is Sergeant James Vanetten. We are members of the One-Hundred-and-First Airborne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shafter-bailey/good-morning-one-of-the-soldiers-said-i-m-captain-joseph-walker-and/) [Shafter Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shafter-bailey/) > [“Mental illness is not something you misunderstand in this era. Get educated because bias is no different than racism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/mental-illness-is-not-something-you-misunderstand-in-this-era-get/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Advocacy groups, politicians, and bureaucrats use the government to advance their private good instead of the common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-miller/advocacy-groups-politicians-and-bureaucrats-use-the-government-to/) [Joel Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-miller/) > [“There is an overflowing grace, for every great work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-an-overflowing-grace-for-every-great-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The enormity of problems like hunger and social injustice can certainly motivate us to act. We can be convinced logically of the need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-capecci-and-timothy-cage/the-enormity-of-problems-like-hunger-and-social-injustice-can/) [John Capecci and Timothy Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-capecci-and-timothy-cage/) > [Idea-Advocacy Matrix highlights a couple of things: that good ideas need to be "sold" if they are ever going to see the light of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-daly/idea-advocacy-matrix-highlights-a-couple-of-things-that-good-ideas/) [John Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-daly/) > [“Advocacy groups in the USA, as in other countries, may not be able to silence this hateful, cowardly and deceitful attack upon people’s humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/advocacy-groups-in-the-usa-as-in-other-countries-may-not-be-able-to/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [“The best advocacy is always storytelling.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willie-parker/the-best-advocacy-is-always-storytelling/) [Willie Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willie-parker/) > [“Joyfully we undertake our daily work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/joyfully-we-undertake-our-daily-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“We Lesbian Avengers have built this shrine. It stands for our fear. It stands for our grief. It stands for our rage. And it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-j-cogswell/we-lesbian-avengers-have-built-this-shrine-it-stands-for-our-fear-it/) [Kelly J. Cogswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-j-cogswell/) > [“You can not protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-not-protect-the-environment-unless-you-empower-people-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If he could be hard on kings and cabinets, he was invariably kind to his colleagues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taliaferro/if-he-could-be-hard-on-kings-and-cabinets-he-was-invariably-kind-to/) [John Taliaferro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taliaferro/) > [“Justice is not simply argued — it is meticulously prepared, strategically presented, and fearlessly defended.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millennium-chambers/justice-is-not-simply-argued-it-is-meticulously-prepared/) [Millennium Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millennium-chambers/) > [I have no idea what I want to do for a career. 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Opiate addicts live in our communities and in our families & they work in our businesses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-kassels/not-in-my-backyard-nimby-does-not-work-opiate-addicts-live-in-our/) [Steven Kassels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-kassels/) [Browse all 196 Advocacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advocacy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samantha Power" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise-in-empathy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Advocacy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise-in-empathy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2d9/samantha-power-3969_advocacy_all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise_2447875.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All advocacy is, at its core, an exercise in empathy.” — Samantha Power", "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": "Samantha Power", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All advocacy is, at its core,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise-in-empathy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/all-advocacy-is-at-its-core-an-exercise-in-empathy/#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 } } ] } ```