"And I not only have the right..." - Quote by Maya Angelou
And I not only have the right to stand up for myself, but I have the responsibility. I can't ask somebody else to stand up for me if I won't stand up for myself. And once you stand up for yourself, you'd be surprised that people say, "Can I be of help?"
More by Maya Angelou
“Only equals make friends, every other relationship is contrived and off balance.”
“Tragedy, no matter how sad, becomes boring to those not caught in its addictive caress.”
“I think when we don't know what to do it's wise to do nothing. Sit down quietly; quiet our hearts and minds and breathe deeply.”
More on Self Advocacy
“I'm interested in women's health because I'm a woman. I'd be a darn fool not to be on my own side.”
“How can a man be satisfied to entertain an opinion merely, and enjoy it? Is there any enjoyment in it, if his opinion is that he is aggrieved? If you are cheated out of a single dollar by your neighbor, you do not rest satisfied with knowing that you are cheated, or with saying that you are cheated, or even with petitioning him to pay you your due; but you take effectual steps at once to obtain the full amount, and see that you are never cheated again.”
“I learned a long time ago the wisest thing I can do is be on my own side, be an advocate for myself and others like me.”
More on Responsibility
“I knew at a young age, whether I was playing baseball or hockey or lacrosse, that my teammates were counting on me, whether it be to strike the last batter out in a baseball game or score a big goal in a hockey game.”
“Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'”
“We must strive to become good ancestors.”