--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Looking out at that crowd, I imagined…" description: "\"Looking out at that crowd, I imagined those who had not yet arrived, minority students who, in years to come, would make this multitude of faces, the v..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sonia-sotomayor-1504_bridges_looking-out-at-that-crowd-i-imagined-tho_433515.png" --- # Looking out at that crowd, I imagined those who had not… ![“Looking out at that crowd, I imagined those who had not yet arrived, minority students who, in years to come, would make this multitude of faces, the view from where I now stood, a little more various. If they could have heard me, I would have confided in them: As you discover what strength you…” quote by Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sonia-sotomayor-1504_bridges_looking-out-at-that-crowd-i-imagined-tho_433515.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sonia-sotomayor-1504_bridges_looking-out-at-that-crowd-i-imagined-tho_433515.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ff/sonia-sotomayor-1504_bridges_looking-out-at-that-crowd-i-imagined-tho_433515.png) > “Looking out at that crowd, I imagined those who had not yet arrived, minority students who, in years to come, would make this multitude of faces, the view from where I now stood, a little more various. If they could have heard me, I would have confided in them: As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as inward. Build bridges instead of walls.” [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourage inclusion and community strength, urging future minority students to build bridges, not walls. **In simple terms:** Support diversity and community building. Key Takeaway Foster inclusive connections. Themes diversity community inclusion Mood inspirational hopeful Type advice motivational When to use this quote - University graduations - policy discussions - community outreach Key Concepts Social equity bridge building future generations Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to bridge gaps? - How does community strength empower individuals? A Different Perspective Changing deep-rooted biases is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Minorities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minorities/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-discover-what-strength-you-can-draw-from-your-community-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One thing has not changed: to doubt the worth of minority students' achievement when they succeed is really only to present another face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/one-thing-has-not-changed-to-doubt-the-worth-of-minority-students/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Look upward to your God for direction! Look inward into yourself and discover your talents! Look outward into your environment and get helped! Stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/look-upward-to-your-god-for-direction-look-inward-into-yourself-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The stronger I am in my personal life, the more energy I have to look outward, to address my society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/the-stronger-i-am-in-my-personal-life-the-more-energy-i-have-to-look/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I want to be more selfless and look outward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-hayes/i-want-to-be-more-selfless-and-look-outward/) [Walker Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-hayes/) > [Humans are not as unsophisticated as mulch wrigglers, they can see the writing on the wall. Is it any surprise, that among the ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/humans-are-not-as-unsophisticated-as-mulch-wrigglers-they-can-see-the/) [Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/) > [Whether they will or not, Americans must now begin to look outward. The growing production of the country demands it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-thayer-mahan/whether-they-will-or-not-americans-must-now-begin-to-look-outward-the/) [Alfred Thayer Mahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-thayer-mahan/) > [“Whenever judges of the highest state courts have actually examined the details of the "savage inequalities" that continue to be imposed on most low-income…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-rebell/whenever-judges-of-the-highest-state-courts-have-actually-examined/) Michael A. Rebell > [“What Lempert is saying is that by the only measure that a law school really ought to care about — how well its graduates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/what-lempert-is-saying-is-that-by-the-only-measure-that-a-law-school/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Yeah, I would go to New England Conservatory a lot. My orchestra teacher ran a program for minority students there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-olusola/yeah-i-would-go-to-new-england-conservatory-a-lot-my-orchestra/) [Kevin Olusola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-olusola/) > [I think the minority students that we admit to Harvard are every bit as meritorious as the white students that we admit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/i-think-the-minority-students-that-we-admit-to-harvard-are-every-bit/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) > [“Currently, “minority” students represent a majority in all but two of our twenty-five largest cities, and by some estimates, the turn of the century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-delpit/currently-minority-students-represent-a-majority-in-all-but-two-of/) [Lisa Delpit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-delpit/) > [“It would be impossible to understand the persistence and vehemence of these arguments against test scores without understanding the political purpose they serve. Arguments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/it-would-be-impossible-to-understand-the-persistence-and-vehemence-of/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [By making college more affordable for all and more accessible for minority students, the first new higher education authorizing legislation in a decade will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/by-making-college-more-affordable-for-all-and-more-accessible-for/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) > [I think, overall, there is a lack of diversity in the arts. I'm thinking about when I was in grad school: I could probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-c-moore/i-think-overall-there-is-a-lack-of-diversity-in-the-arts-i-m-thinking/) [Adrienne C. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-c-moore/) ## More by Sonia Sotomayor > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have never had to face anything that could overwhelm the native optimism and stubborn perseverance I was blessed with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-never-had-to-face-anything-that-could-overwhelm-the-native/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [The task of a judge is not to make the law - it is to apply the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-task-of-a-judge-is-not-to-make-the-law-it-is-to-apply-the-law/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I got a message from one of my friends in Puerto Rico, who said, 'Sonia, there's nobody working in Puerto Rico - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-got-a-message-from-one-of-my-friends-in-puerto-rico-who-said-sonia/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [In the wider context, what I believe I was - the point I was making was that our life experiences do permit us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/in-the-wider-context-what-i-believe-i-was-the-point-i-was-making-was/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have spent my years since Princeton, while at law school and in my various professional jobs, not feeling completely a part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-spent-my-years-since-princeton-while-at-law-school-and-in-my/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [The first case I sat on... was Citizens United. Talk about being thrown in. Needless to say, if I was scared before, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-first-case-i-sat-on-was-citizens-united-talk-about-being-thrown/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“Over the years, I have gathered more godchildren than anyone I know, and I take the role seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/over-the-years-i-have-gathered-more-godchildren-than-anyone-i-know/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [ I am growing to love DC.This \[Washington\] is a beautiful city. I think every citizen should come see their capital. A lot of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-am-growing-to-love-dc-this-washington-is-a-beautiful-city-i-think/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“I think that even someone who got into an institution through affirmative action could prove they were qualified by what they accomplished there. Page 188”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-think-that-even-someone-who-got-into-an-institution-through/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [You make your life choices understanding that you might and do have to work harder to prove yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/you-make-your-life-choices-understanding-that-you-might-and-do-have/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“The persistence or failure of human relationships cannot be predicted by any set of objective or universal criteria. We are all limited, highly imperfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/the-persistence-or-failure-of-human-relationships-cannot-be-predicted/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I have ventured to write more intimately about my personal life than is customary for a member of the Supreme Court, and with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/i-have-ventured-to-write-more-intimately-about-my-personal-life-than/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [With my academic achievement in high school, I was accepted rather readily at Princeton and equally as fast at Yale, but my test scores…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/with-my-academic-achievement-in-high-school-i-was-accepted-rather/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [This wealth of experiences, personal and professional, have helped me appreciate the variety of perspectives that present themselves in every case that I hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-wealth-of-experiences-personal-and-professional-have-helped-me/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) [Explore all 234 Sonia Sotomayor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) ## More Bridges quotes > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [In my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and I think of all the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/in-my-rear-view-mirror-the-sun-is-going-down-sinking-behind-bridges/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you walk, try to think nothing! You can then obtain the silence of a streetlight or a bridge; stop thinking; after that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-walk-try-to-think-nothing-you-can-then-obtain-the-silence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges do it for me in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/al-pacino-and-jeff-bridges-do-it-for-me-in-a-big-way/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) [Browse all 1,521 Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Looking out at that crowd, I imagined those who had not yet arrived, minority students who, in years to come, would make this multitude of faces, the view from where I now stood, a little more various. If they could have heard me, I would have confided in them: As you discover what strength you can draw from your community in this world from which it stands apart, look outward as well as inward. 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