--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First thing is first and let me be clear…" description: "\"First thing is first and let me be clear: I stand with the Black community. Black Lives Matter. There is no room in this world for racism. Period.\" — Z..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/zdeno-chara-17585_black-community_first-thing-is-first-and-let-me-be-clear_691166.jpg" --- # First thing is first and let me be clear: I stand with the… ![“First thing is first and let me be clear: I stand with the Black community. Black Lives Matter. There is no room in this world for racism. Period.” quote by Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/zdeno-chara-17585_black-community_first-thing-is-first-and-let-me-be-clear_691166.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/zdeno-chara-17585_black-community_first-thing-is-first-and-let-me-be-clear_691166.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec9/zdeno-chara-17585_black-community_first-thing-is-first-and-let-me-be-clear_691166.jpg) > “First thing is first and let me be clear: I stand with the Black community. Black Lives Matter. There is no room in this world for racism. Period.” [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He affirms unwavering support for Black Lives Matter and denounces racism as intolerable. **In simple terms:** Support Black Lives Matter; reject racism. Key Takeaway Stand against racism. Themes justice equality solidarity Mood determined hopeful Type activist declarative When to use this quote - protests - policy advocacy - education - personal allyship Key Concepts civil rights activism racial equity Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can you take to combat racism? - How do you support Black communities daily? A Different Perspective Racism persists despite declarations; action required. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-community/) [Black lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives/) [Black lives matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-lives-matter/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Black Lives Matter started from a post that I put on Facebook after the acquittal of George Zimmerman. I woke up in the middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-garza/black-lives-matter-started-from-a-post-that-i-put-on-facebook-after/) [Alicia Garza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-garza/) > [Black Lives Matter has become what black communities all over the world have needed it to become. At times, it is a hashtag; at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/black-lives-matter-has-become-what-black-communities-all-over-the/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [Former New York Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, former Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin, talk show Rush Limbaugh claim - " don't you love that, they "claim."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/former-new-york-mayor-rudy-giuliani-former-alaska-governor-sarah/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Of course Black Lives Matter and the killing of young black boys is heartbreaking to all of us. Everyone knows I am a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rozonda-thomas/of-course-black-lives-matter-and-the-killing-of-young-black-boys-is/) [Rozonda Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rozonda-thomas/) > [Yet civil rights issues are very much on the front burner in South Carolina between the Black Lives Matter movement and police shootings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-shapiro/yet-civil-rights-issues-are-very-much-on-the-front-burner-in-south/) [Ari Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-shapiro/) > [When I'm talking to people, I find myself quoting the three organizing rules of Black Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter was initiated by three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/when-i-m-talking-to-people-i-find-myself-quoting-the-three-organizing/) [Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/) > [Everybody's life matters. But that's why we have to say black lives matter, because the highest disproportionality, police brutality, disenfranchisement, education disproportionality in school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-dolezal/everybody-s-life-matters-but-that-s-why-we-have-to-say-black-lives/) [Rachel Dolezal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-dolezal/) > [With Black Lives Matter, we knew from the very beginning that it wasn't just going to live online. We were like, 'We're creating this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/with-black-lives-matter-we-knew-from-the-very-beginning-that-it-wasn/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [Black immigrants and refugees have just as much at stake in the fight to make Black Lives Matter as African Americans do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-tometi/black-immigrants-and-refugees-have-just-as-much-at-stake-in-the-fight/) [Opal Tometi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-tometi/) > [Black lives matter' doesn't mean that all lives do not matter, rather it is a cry for equal treatment in the greater circle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-messam/black-lives-matter-doesn-t-mean-that-all-lives-do-not-matter-rather/) [Wayne Messam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-messam/) > [Myself and the co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement have been called terrorists, but in truth, we are loving women whose life experiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-cullors/myself-and-the-co-founders-of-the-black-lives-matter-movement-have/) [Patrisse Cullors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrisse-cullors/) > [What Black Lives Matter is doing is a deliberate inversion of the proper processes of historical analysis. It is beginning with a conclusion. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/what-black-lives-matter-is-doing-is-a-deliberate-inversion-of-the/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) > [“I believe Black Lives Matter is a movement to rehumanize black citizens. All lives matter, but not all lives need to be pulled back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/i-believe-black-lives-matter-is-a-movement-to-rehumanize-black/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [At the end of the day, Black Lives Matter and we all know this and I get when people say all lives matter, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhea-ripley/at-the-end-of-the-day-black-lives-matter-and-we-all-know-this-and-i/) [Rhea Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhea-ripley/) > [What the Black lives matter movement is doing is they are making it personal. They are making it hash tagged, exposing the racial injustice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-claiborne/what-the-black-lives-matter-movement-is-doing-is-they-are-making-it/) [Shane Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-claiborne/) ## More by Zdeno Chara > [I'm not a freak show. I'm a hockey player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/i-m-not-a-freak-show-i-m-a-hockey-player/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [I will never know what it's like to walk down a street and feel unsafe. No one should have to experience that feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/i-will-never-know-what-it-s-like-to-walk-down-a-street-and-feel/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [I just enjoy every day, being with my teammates, going out to perform. I just love competing and I have an extreme passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/i-just-enjoy-every-day-being-with-my-teammates-going-out-to-perform-i/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [A lot of times life is spinning so fast around you that you kind of think it's out of control and that's when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/a-lot-of-times-life-is-spinning-so-fast-around-you-that-you-kind-of/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [You don't go into a game thinking you might get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/you-don-t-go-into-a-game-thinking-you-might-get-hurt/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [Everything you hear that people are losing as you get older, I want to be a step ahead of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/everything-you-hear-that-people-are-losing-as-you-get-older-i-want-to/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [Hopefully I won't have to sleep with my feet out of the tent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/hopefully-i-won-t-have-to-sleep-with-my-feet-out-of-the-tent/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [Sure, I've dealt with my own share of adversity as an outsider living in this country but I recognize my challenges were not made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/sure-i-ve-dealt-with-my-own-share-of-adversity-as-an-outsider-living/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [It's one of those things, like in sports and other situations in life, you're going to have some adversities and some challenges that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/it-s-one-of-those-things-like-in-sports-and-other-situations-in-life/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [The great part, or the interesting part, is that when you stop eating something, you stop missing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/the-great-part-or-the-interesting-part-is-that-when-you-stop-eating/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [I remember climbing Mont Ventoux at the end of the day, and it was so, so hard. You have already three, four hours in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/i-remember-climbing-mont-ventoux-at-the-end-of-the-day-and-it-was-so/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [I love competing. I love doing all these things, coming to the rink, talking to the guys, doing the routine, working out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/i-love-competing-i-love-doing-all-these-things-coming-to-the-rink/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [For sure it takes longer for bigger guys or tall guys to be really agile. Growing up, my dad and a few coaches always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/for-sure-it-takes-longer-for-bigger-guys-or-tall-guys-to-be-really/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [Playing the whole season and going through the whole playoffs in 2011 was the hardest 10-month period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/playing-the-whole-season-and-going-through-the-whole-playoffs-in-2011/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) > [To miss games, I just don't think it's for me personally. I don't like it. The other guys might like it, but I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zdeno-chara/to-miss-games-i-just-don-t-think-it-s-for-me-personally-i-don-t-like/) [Zdeno Chara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) [Explore all 36 Zdeno Chara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zdeno-chara/) ## More Black community quotes > [I think in black communities today we need to encourage a lot more cross racial organizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-think-in-black-communities-today-we-need-to-encourage-a-lot-more/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [I'm a black man that is proud to be black, and I want to help the black community, but I love all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-m-a-black-man-that-is-proud-to-be-black-and-i-want-to-help-the/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/) > [So I was really excited when I came to America about meeting black people. But it was a huge culture shock, because I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-turner-smith/so-i-was-really-excited-when-i-came-to-america-about-meeting-black/) [Jodie Turner-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-turner-smith/) > [Within the black community, roughly 60 percent of children are born to single moms. Moms don't have the emotional wherewithal to deal with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-dean-myers/within-the-black-community-roughly-60-percent-of-children-are-born-to/) [Walter Dean Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-dean-myers/) > [Who are the slumlords in the Black community? The so-called Jews. … Who is it sucking our blood in the Black community? A white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/who-are-the-slumlords-in-the-black-community-the-so-called-jews-who/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [One of the prices that we pay for integration was the disintegration of the black community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-smith/one-of-the-prices-that-we-pay-for-integration-was-the-disintegration/) [Ed Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-smith/) > [As blacks, we need not be afraid that encouraging moraldevelopment, a conscience and guilt will prevent social action. Black children without the ability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-comer-2/as-blacks-we-need-not-be-afraid-that-encouraging-moraldevelopment-a/) James P Comer > [Anger in the black community towards Republicans is established and immutable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-beckel/anger-in-the-black-community-towards-republicans-is-established-and/) [Bob Beckel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-beckel/) > [The black community is broken up in general.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candace-owens/the-black-community-is-broken-up-in-general/) [Candace Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candace-owens/) > [Republicans think that the NAACP is the only voice in the black community. It is a voice in the black community. But it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-watts/republicans-think-that-the-naacp-is-the-only-voice-in-the-black/) [J. C. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-watts/) > [“Consequential to the election outcome were the many private contacts in the capital between southern Democrats and Hayes’s northern Republican supporters. At Wormley’s Hotel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-chernow/consequential-to-the-election-outcome-were-the-many-private-contacts/) [Ron Chernow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-chernow/) > [These events are swirling around them. In the white community, people felt like they had no control over their neighborhoods, their destiny. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-paretsky/these-events-are-swirling-around-them-in-the-white-community-people/) [Sara Paretsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-paretsky/) > [Donald Trump has not held an event in the black community. He has not gone to a black church, as Hillary Clinton has done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-brazile/donald-trump-has-not-held-an-event-in-the-black-community-he-has-not/) [Donna Brazile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-brazile/) > [Would movie moguls release a film portraying Adolph Hitler as a great benefactor of the Jews? Hardly. Would they release a movie if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-wildmon/would-movie-moguls-release-a-film-portraying-adolph-hitler-as-a-great/) Donald Wildmon > [Everybody in the black community must organize, and then we decide whether we will have alliance with other people or not, but not until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-rap-brown/everybody-in-the-black-community-must-organize-and-then-we-decide/) [H. Rap Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-rap-brown/) [Browse all 243 Black community quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-community/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "First thing is first and let me be clear: I stand with the Black community. Black Lives Matter. There is no room in this world for racism. 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