About this quote

Real change often starts when someone refuses to look away. Saying no can interrupt what people had gotten used to and makes it safer for others to follow. Want to act? Say something in the moment, back the person who was harmed, and log what happened so you can bring others in. Expect pushback; doing it again makes it easier next time.

When to use it

• Work — At a staff meeting when management tried to sweep a harassment complaint under the rug, I stood up and said we needed a proper investigation.
• Campus — When a professor repeatedly graded a student unfairly, I spoke with classmates, gathered examples, and asked the department to review it.
• Family — At a holiday dinner after a relative made a hurtful joke, I told them I wouldn't laugh and explained why it wasn't okay.
• Bank — When I watched a teller deny a loan to a qualified applicant for sketchy reasons, I asked to speak to a manager and stayed with the person until the issue was reviewed.