The Ultimate List of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Quotes for Inspiration and Ideas

Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance
Verna Myers

We love using quotes to inspire us in our work. There’s so much we can learn from the wonderful , inspiring and thought provoking things that people say. From politicians, to business leaders, to writers, there’s so many brilliant words and phrases we can all use.

Why use quotes?

Well the words from other people help us to learn and be inspired by the things that other people think and say. We learn from different perspectives and ideas, so using quotes from other people shares their words and work, and inspires us too. When we are creating training courses, talks or any written content, we find it so interesting to use the words that other people have shared.

It’s useful to consider some definitions when you are using quotes, so if you haven’t already downloaded it, here’s our ‘What Do We Mean By’ guide. In this guide we explain words, acronyms and terminology to help you understand the words that people use.

What Do We Mean By…

Watch This Sp_ce What Do We Mean By Dictionary

So here it is, our ultimate list of quotes to inspire you all. If you have other quotes that you use, email us at hello@watchthisspace.uk and we will include them in this list.

Diversity and inclusion quotes

Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance – Verna Myers, Author
Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day. As leaders, we have to put out the message that we embrace and not just tolerate diversity – Nellie Borrero (Managing Director, – Global Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture)
Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth – Jesse Jackson, Activist
We need diversity of thought in the world to face the new challenges – Tim Berners-Lee, Inventor of the world wide web
A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone – Sundar Pichai, CEO at Google
We all want our company makeup to reflect the makeup of the people who use our products – Sheryl Sandberg
When everyone is included, everyone wins – Jesse Jackson, Activist
Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another’s uniqueness – Ola Joseph, Author
It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences – Audre Lorde, Activist
That collective intelligence emerges not just from the knowledge of individuals, but also from the differences between them – Matthew Syed, Writer
Our diversity of faith and color and creeds—that is not a threat to who we are. It makes us who we are – Michelle Obama
To me, beauty is inclusion – every size, every color– that’s the world I live in – Prabal Gurang, designer
Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work – Andres Tapia
We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring – Catherine Pulsifer
Why be a star when you can make a constellation? – Mariam Kaba, Writer
You have a responsibility to make inclusion a daily thought, so we can get rid of the word ‘inclusion – Theodore Melfi, Producer
We have to stop thinking about diversity and start thinking about inclusion – Viola Davis, Actress
Creating work cultures and environments where people feel genuinely included is a journey, not a finite destination – Allegra Chapman and Mousumi Kanjilal Williams
If we are intent upon answering our most serious questions, from climate change to poverty, and curing diseases to designing new products, we need to work with people who think differently, not just accurately – Matthew Syed, Writer
we need to focus, plot a roadmap, create frameworks and talk about bold new ideas for the future of work – Allegra Chapman and Mousumi Kanjilal Williams
Rebellions are built on hope – Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Gender equality quotes

I speak not for myself but for those without a voice… those who have fought for their rights… their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated – Malala Yousafzai, Activist
We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored – Sheryl Sandberg, Executive Leader
Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women – Maya Angelou, Writer
If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair – Shirley Chisholm, Politician
They’ll tell you you’re too loud, that you need to wait your turn and ask the right people for permission. Do it anyway – Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Politician
I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own – Audre Lorde, Activist
Feminism is for everybody – Bell Hooks, Activist
There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish – Michelle Obama, Writer and Activist
Men often ask me, ‘Why are your female characters so paranoid?’ It’s not paranoia. It’s recognition of their situation – Margaret Atwood, Writer
I want to show that you can have fun and have purpose, be respectful and speak your mind – Beyonce, Singer
The connections between and among women are the most feared, the most problematic, and the most potentially transforming force on the planet -Adrienne Rich, Poet

Anti-Racism quotes

The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work – Toni Morrison, Writer
A riot is the language of the unheard – Dr Martin Luther King
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor – Desmond Tutu, Bishop
Racism is not getting worse, it’s getting filmed – Will Smith, Actor
In a racist society it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist – Angela Davis
If I take your race away, and there you are, all strung out. And all you got is your little self, and what is that? What are you without racism? Are you any good? Are you still strong? Are you still smart? Do you still like yourself? I mean, these are the questions. – Toni Morrison, Writer
Until the philosophy which hold one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned —everywhere is war – Bob Marley, Musician
The concept of whiteness goes hand in hand with the concept of white supremacy – hence why the progress against white supremacy that has been made so far feels, to some white people, like an attack on their identity – Akala, Writer and Activist
White privilege is an absence of the consequences of racism. An absence of structural discrimination, an absence of your race being viewed as a problem first and foremost – Rennie Eddo-Lodge, Writer
Even at five years old, we already know on some level that, in this society at least, we are indeed lesser citizens with all the baggage of racialised history following us ghost-like about our days – Akala, Writer and Activist
It is puerile to reduce imperial history to a matter of ‘good’ and ‘bad’; trying to weigh up the positive and negative in this way is like defending the morality of kicking a random old man in the shins one afternoon because you helped an old lady across the road in the morning – Sathnam Sanghera, Writer

Neurodiversity quotes

For kids with undiagnosed dyslexia, everyday schooling is like being taught in a foreign language. – Roberto Olivardia, Author
No, autism is not a ‘gift’. For most, it is an endless fight against schools, workplaces, and bullies. But, under the right circumstances, given the right adjustments, it CAN be a superpower – Greta Thunberg, Activist
Neurodiversity is not about changing people. It’s about changing society’s perception of people – Nick Walker, Activist
It’s not always possible (or helpful) to try to untangle which of a person’s traits are Autistic and which are caused by the trauma of being neurodiverse in a neurotypical world – Devon Price, Social Psychologist
We do not need to cure neurodiversity. We need to embrace it – Jonathan Mooney, Activist
Dyslexia was the last puzzle part in a tremendous mystery that I’ve kept to myself all these years – Steven Spielberg, Filmmaker

LGBTQ+ quotes

We deserve to experience love fully, equally, without shame and without compromise – Elliot Page, Actor
Love is never wrong – Melissa Etheridge, Singer
The love expressed between women is particular and powerful because we have had to love in order to live; love has been our survival – Audre Lorde, Activist
I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept – Angela Davis, Activist
We will not win our rights by staying quietly in our closets – Harvey Milk, Politician
I learned compassion from being discriminated against. Everything bad that’s ever happened to me has taught me compassion – Ellen DeGeneres, TV Host
Openness may not completely disarm prejudice, but it’s a good place to start – Jason Collins, Basketball Player
Marriage is a magic word. And it is magic throughout the world. It has to do with our dignity as human beings, to be who we are openly – Edie Windsor, Activist
You don’t have to live a lie. Living a lie will mess you up. It will send you into depression. It will warp your values – Gilbert Baker, Artist
I’ve never been interested in being invisible and erased – Laverne Cox, Activist and Actress

Fitting in and belonging are not the same thing. In fact, fitting in is one of the greatest barriers to belonging
Brene Brown

Disability quotes

Sometimes I wonder if I’m as famous for my wheelchair and disabilities as I am for my discoveries – Stephen Hawking, Scientist
Attacking people with disabilities is the lowest display of power I can think of – Morgan Freeman, Actor
When you have a disability, knowing that you are not defined by it is the sweetest feeling – Anne Wafula Strike, Racer
Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision -Stevie Wonder, Singer
A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles – Christopher Reeve, Actor
We must be treated as equals – and communication is the way we can bring this about – Louis Braille, Educator
If I have to feel thankful about an accessible bathroom, when am I ever gonna be equal in the community? – Judith Huemann, Activist
I wanted to be part of the world, but I didn’t see anyone like me in it – Jim LeBrecht, Filmmaker
In life, just find something you love and make it your life. That is the only way to be successful. Love what you do -Hannah Cockcroft, Athlete
I don’t need easy. I just need possible – Bethany Hamilton, Surfer

Belonging quotes

Fitting in and belonging are not the same thing. In fact, fitting in is one of the greatest barriers to belonging – Brene Brown, Writer
Perhaps home is not a place but simply an irrevocable condition – James Baldwin, Writer and Activist
I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself – Maya Angelou, Writer
Talk with no action is an act of ego, not an act of allyship – Louis Wedlock, TedX Speaker
Belongingness entails an unwavering commitment to not simply tolerating and respecting difference, but to ensuring that all people are welcome and feel that they belong – John A Powell, Professor
What matters is that should difference enter the world of beloved community, it can find a place of welcome, a place to belong – Bell Hooks, Activist
you’ll find friends who like you for who you are – Nadia Ross, Writer

The Inclusion Journey

And you know what? We literally wrote the book on this! The Inclusion Journey is out now. It’s a book packed full of case studies, research and quotes. Get your copy now…