--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing that separates women of…" description: "\"The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.\" — Viola Davis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png" --- # The only thing that separates women of color from everyone… ![“The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.” quote by Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png) > “The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.” [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Opportunity is the primary factor that differentiates women of color from others, highlighting systemic inequities. **In simple terms:** Opportunity determines outcomes for women of color. Key Takeaway Advocate for equitable opportunities. Themes equality race gender opportunity Mood determined urgent Type social political When to use this quote - Corporate hiring - scholarship programs - political representation - community mentorship Key Concepts systemic bias social mobility education employment Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can create more opportunities? - How can allies support women of color? A Different Perspective Opportunity alone may not erase deep‑rooted barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actresses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) [African american women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american-women/) [Badass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badass/) [Badass women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/badass-women/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Emmys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emmys/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [Let me tell you something: The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/let-me-tell-you-something-the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/you-cannot-win-an-emmy-for-roles-that-are-simply-not-there/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [“Remember that this is what separates the women from the girls. If you want to be great, this is the challenge. If you don’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-horowitz/remember-that-this-is-what-separates-the-women-from-the-girls-if-you/) [Ben Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-horowitz/) > [That's one thing I find about having children - it does unlock a door that separates you from other women who've had children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-miller/that-s-one-thing-i-find-about-having-children-it-does-unlock-a-door/) [Rebecca Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-miller/) > [In my mind, I see a line. And over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful, white women with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/in-my-mind-i-see-a-line-and-over-that-line-i-see-green-fields-and/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [ I just hope this \[Emmy\] is now a part of the status quo that women of color are included in the narratives that continue… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-just-hope-this-emmy-is-now-a-part-of-the-status-quo-that-women-of/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [Women hold all the power. They should use it like a whip, not offer it up like a sacrifice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/women-hold-all-the-power-they-should-use-it-like-a-whip-not-offer-it/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [“Whatever you guys call it. Man up. Get your panties out of a wad. Put on your big boy shorts. Grow a set.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristin-harber/whatever-you-guys-call-it-man-up-get-your-panties-out-of-a-wad-put-on/) [Cristin Harber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristin-harber/) > [I didn't get along with Lindsay Lohan on Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen, but you have to consider that we were 16-year-old girls.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-didn-t-get-along-with-lindsay-lohan-on-confessions-of-a-teenage-2/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [“Alanna Carrington, head witch of the Philadelphia Coven, hurtled his way, and with her, trouble was a guarantee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mcintyre/alanna-carrington-head-witch-of-the-philadelphia-coven-hurtled-his/) [Katherine McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mcintyre/) > [“If you want to conquer a boy, don't show him how weak you are, instead show him the badass that you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mar-a-jos/if-you-want-to-conquer-a-boy-don-t-show-him-how-weak-you-are-instead/) María José > [“She adored fairy tales, yet derived great reward rewriting them to the melody of her own warrior soul. Her fairytales weren’t made of desperate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/she-adored-fairy-tales-yet-derived-great-reward-rewriting-them-to-the/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [I didn't get along with Lindsay Lohan on Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, but you have to consider that we were 16-year-old girls...From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-fox/i-didn-t-get-along-with-lindsay-lohan-on-confessions-of-a-teenage/) [Megan Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-fox/) > [You can waste your lives drawing lines. Or you can live your life crossing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shonda-rhimes/you-can-waste-your-lives-drawing-lines-or-you-can-live-your-life/) [Shonda Rhimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shonda-rhimes/) > [“I Once Didn’t Speak Up and Today I Don’t Shut Up”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-brescia/i-once-didn-t-speak-up-and-today-i-don-t-shut-up/) Pamela Brescia ## More by Viola Davis > [I look back at pictures of myself and I remember thinking, "I was so fat when I was growing up. I was 165 pounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-look-back-at-pictures-of-myself-and-i-remember-thinking-i-was-so/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I am not a glam woman - this definitely is a mask I put on for the public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-am-not-a-glam-woman-this-definitely-is-a-mask-i-put-on-for-the/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I was bullied at school. The black girl in Central Falls, Rhode Island, in 1973. There'd be 8 or 10 boys; I would count…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-was-bullied-at-school-the-black-girl-in-central-falls-rhode-island/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [That's why there's so much bad acting out there, because you could see actors watching themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/that-s-why-there-s-so-much-bad-acting-out-there-because-you-could-see/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I want my work to reflect my level of gifts and talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-want-my-work-to-reflect-my-level-of-gifts-and-talent/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I don’t want anyone putting any limits on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-don-t-want-anyone-putting-any-limits-on-me/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [ I think that's why August \[Wilson\] named her Rose \[in "Fences"\]; I really do. She's a rose in her sweetness and her kindness and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-think-that-s-why-august-wilson-named-her-rose-in-fences-i-really-do/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don-t-think-that-when-you-get-out/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I suffered from low self-esteem for much of my life. And now to feel like maybe something that I'm projecting or saying could mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-suffered-from-low-self-esteem-for-much-of-my-life-and-now-to-feel/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I tell my daughter every morning, 'Now, what are the two most important parts of you?' And she says, 'My head and my heart.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-tell-my-daughter-every-morning-now-what-are-the-two-most-important/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I started a production company out of necessity, the need for great narratives for actors of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-started-a-production-company-out-of-necessity-the-need-for-great/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [That's always the biggest surprise when people meet me: how buoyant I am and how fun and light I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/that-s-always-the-biggest-surprise-when-people-meet-me-how-buoyant-i/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [When you're working as an actor, you don't think that when you get out of school, it's going to be so hard to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/when-you-re-working-as-an-actor-you-don-t-think-that-when-you-get-out-2/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [ It was hard, that confrontation scene \[in "Fences"\], that was a hard one. I felt like it was relentless, I never felt like I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/it-was-hard-that-confrontation-scene-in-fences-that-was-a-hard-one-i/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [I am addicted to any facial product that's anti-aging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-am-addicted-to-any-facial-product-that-s-anti-aging/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) [Explore all 279 Viola Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) ## More Actresses quotes > [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. I think there are some amazing opportunities around the corner and I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-feel-excited-about-getting-older-as-an-actress-too-i-think-there/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [I think most of us are raised with preconceived notions of the choices we're supposed to make. We waste so much time making decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/i-think-most-of-us-are-raised-with-preconceived-notions-of-the/) [Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/) > [I've been told before, and I tend to believe it, I'm not like most actresses out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moira-kelly/i-ve-been-told-before-and-i-tend-to-believe-it-i-m-not-like-most/) [Moira Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moira-kelly/) > [Marilyn was a great actress, not a dumb blond bombshell. She was very smart, very astute and a good businesswoman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-schiller/marilyn-was-a-great-actress-not-a-dumb-blond-bombshell-she-was-very/) [Lawrence Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-schiller/) > [By the time I was seventeen, I was on my way to Hollywood and didn't look back. My family is supportive now, but like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/by-the-time-i-was-seventeen-i-was-on-my-way-to-hollywood-and-didn-t/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [Just have fun. Smile. And keep putting on lipstick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-keaton/just-have-fun-smile-and-keep-putting-on-lipstick/) [Diane Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-keaton/) > [There are a lot of great actresses out there. You learn to appreciate each one for what they offer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-pratt/there-are-a-lot-of-great-actresses-out-there-you-learn-to-appreciate/) [Victoria Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-pratt/) > [I want to be fulfilled creatively as an actress and get to be in roles that are meaningful and impactful. I hope the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/i-want-to-be-fulfilled-creatively-as-an-actress-and-get-to-be-in/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [There's certain things I try to avoid, as an actress, just to keep my world from being as narrow as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/famke-janssen/there-s-certain-things-i-try-to-avoid-as-an-actress-just-to-keep-my/) [Famke Janssen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/famke-janssen/) > [All the baggage that comes with fame, being an actress. The down side to it is the intrusion into your life and this expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/all-the-baggage-that-comes-with-fame-being-an-actress-the-down-side/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [I am going to be a great actress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivien-leigh/i-am-going-to-be-a-great-actress/) [Vivien Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivien-leigh/) > [As a black actress you've got to work doubly hard. But it doesn't ever get me to the point where I give up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naturi-naughton/as-a-black-actress-you-ve-got-to-work-doubly-hard-but-it-doesn-t-ever/) [Naturi Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naturi-naughton/) > [I've seen new actresses do one show and disappear or struggle for years to get their next break. I've been fortunate enough to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeeda-sheikh/i-ve-seen-new-actresses-do-one-show-and-disappear-or-struggle-for/) [Sanjeeda Sheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeeda-sheikh/) > [I knew I wanted to be an actress as soon as I popped out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-wallace/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-an-actress-as-soon-as-i-popped-out/) [Dee Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-wallace/) > [Campaigning actress ASHLEY JUDD refuses to 'breed' with her racing star husband DARIO FRANCHITTI while there are starving children in the world. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-judd/campaigning-actress-ashley-judd-refuses-to-breed-with-her-racing-star/) [Ashley Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-judd/) [Browse all 1,881 Actresses quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actresses/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Viola Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-color-from-everyone-else-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actresses" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-color-from-everyone-else-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/763/viola-davis-1174_actresses_the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-c_449853.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing that separates women of color from everyone else is opportunity.” — Viola Davis", "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": "Viola Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only thing that separates women...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-color-from-everyone-else-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/the-only-thing-that-separates-women-of-color-from-everyone-else-is/#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 } } ] } ```