Majora Carter > Quotes

“Just like in every other community, ambitious, talented people are born in low-status communities. Our research indicates that people in low-status communities have hopes, dreams, and aspirations for their lives. Unfortunately, many people feel they can experience these hopes, dreams, and aspirations only outside of their community”
― Majora Carter, Reclaiming Your Community: You Don’t Have to Move out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One

“Some of you out there either have or will experience this type of negativity from those you least expect: your own peers. It is very disturbing at the time it happens, but I promise you, it becomes less and less so as you just keep doing the work. My advice to you is don't respond in kind and don't take it personally. those who don't speak up are likely fearful of things that have nothing to do with you.”
― Majora Carter, Reclaiming Your Community: You Don’t Have to Move out of Your Neighborhood to Live in a Better One

“Preserving poverty and calling it "culture" assumes that people remaining in a low-status community will never be successful and that they are the only "authentic" representatives of those areas. If they are successful, it indicates that they don't really belong there or are somehow "inauthentic.”
― Majora Carter