When it comes to Maya Angelou, it’s impossible not to be in awe. Her work as a poet, activist and writer is unparalleled, and her influence on our culture, language and the way we view ourselves and each other is immeasurable. Angelou’s commitment to truth-telling and advocating for a more equitable, compassionate world have left a lasting mark—not only on the literary world, but on our collective consciousness. In her own words, Angelou said, “When we know better, we do better.”
This line perfectly encapsulates Angelou’s drive to promote positive change—not just within herself, but within her larger community. Angelou’s commitment to educating ourselves about social justice issues, the struggle for civil rights, gender equality, economic justice and how we can truly show up for those who need us speaks to her legacy as a leader, teacher and compass. In her decades of work, Angelou unleashed an urgency around each of the various issues important to her, an urgency that still exists to this day, encouraging us to live up to the philosopher John Dewey’s dictum: “Action, not words, is the greatest of all remedies.”
In her tireless advocacy, Angelou showed us that empathy isn’t enough. We have to be active—especially when it concerns people living on the margins, who have often experienced injustice or worse in our society. Angelou was a true trailblazer in this regard, constantly asking us to show up in meaningful ways, to challenge the status quo and to lead with a sense of understanding beyond what we may have previously known.
Angelou was also a firm believer in not only the power of education, but in the power of what she called “heart-teaching.” Along with an insistence on being informed, Angelou encouraged us to use our hearts and our direct experience of human suffering when making decisions—to seek out the things about which we don’t yet really know, completing the fact-check with a soul-check, so that we could move forward with compassion, understanding and more practical solutions.
Above all, Angelou was a fierce advocate for speaking out—for the voiceless, for those who don’t have the same opportunities that we do. Her call for social justice wasn’t rooted in a single moment or incident—it was a consistent and lifelong mantra of never settling, never turning a blind eye and never being content with the status quo. Her unwavering passion for activism serves as an ongoing reminder of what we can each do to leave our communities and our world a better, more equitable place than we found it.
The Legacy of Maya Angelou’s Vision
In addition to her impeccable writing and advocacy, Maya Angelou has left us a legacy of vision. From famously saying, “We may encounter many defeats, but we must not be defeated,” to her reminder that “history, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again,” Angelou offers us a powerful roadmap for how to keep our footing in a rapidly changing world. Through Angelou’s way of being, we are able to learn how to stand in the face of injustice, rather than stand aside.
More than anything, Angelou has taught us that we must be open to change, however uncomfortable it may be. She reminds us that when we educate ourselves, truly listen and remain open to diverse interpretations, we can move closer towards a world where everyone feels seen and heard. We can choose to forge our own paths forward, creating a world that is both tangible and meaningful.
Maya Angelou’s work is often described as empowering, and it can certainly be seen in this light. Yet, ultimately Angelou was more than that—she was a leader, a teacher and a mentor, who showed us how to understand, how to make meaning, and how to act together. Inspired by her legacy and her undying commitment to creating a more equitable world, it is up to us to live up to the challenge.
Expanding Maya Angelou’s Teachings
Understanding and accepting that we live in a world with many shades of gray—with many truths, many solutions and many paths forward—is an essential part of understanding Maya Angelou’s teachings. This recognition of complexity seeks to honor the complexity of the realities we experience, while also striving to create a better future. Reframing the challenging topics of race, gender, and identity through her courage, humility, and unceasing curiosity, Angelou rewrote our understanding of humanity in a way that inspires us today to create meaningful and long-lasting change.
One of the most important undertakings Angelou encourages us to pursue is the idea of self-actualization—to become our best selves. She shares that this is only possible if we strive to be our best, if we are true and honest to ourselves and if we remain open to receiving and giving support when it’s needed. Ultimately, Angelou believes that our capacity for self-care can help us find the courage to fearlessly tackle the systemic issues that impede progress, whether that is finding more equitable compensation structures, increasing equitable access to resources, or creating more equitable representation within leadership positions.
Angelou’s storytelling showed us how to come together, not just to understand but to be understood. We have the power to move beyond mere empathy and understanding, by discovering ways to identify, justly address, and create solutions to the injustices experienced around the world. This isn’t an easy task, but it’s the very crux of the vision and work that Angelou has inspired.
By being courageous—by being unafraid of tackling unknown truths and being willing to explore, discuss and take action—we can help efficiently and effectively close the gap between the questions we ask and the answers we receive. If we continue to move forward guided by Angelou’s teachings, we can keep more conversations from having no space to grow and in so doing, inspire a more just, compassionate, and equitable world for ourselves and for generations to come.
Moving Forward with Maya Angelou’s Ideas
Maya Angelou’s legacy has served as a beacon for progress and a source of inspiration that helps us to continue to challenge the systems of oppression that pervade our world. Her tireless dedication to making a more equitable and just society encourages us to take a hard look inward, recognizing that change needs to start within our individual circles and move outward.
We have to have the courage to fully commit to the difficult conversations we may have been avoiding, to challenge our own troubling beliefs, and to move past any reluctance to bring up difficult, often uncomfortable topics such as privilege, power, and intersectionality. By engaging in real, meaningful dialogue and striving to listen with a generous heart, we have the power to make a difference.
Through Angelou’s teachings, we can come to realize that “when we know better, we do better,” moving forward with the idea that knowledge is power, that understanding leads to wisdom, and that connection can propel us towards progress. Angelou served to remind us that we all have a role to play in this work, and above all else, to be bold in the pursuit of justice.
Living Up To The Calling of Maya Angelou
In order to live up to the calling that Maya Angelou set forth, it is essential to take what we learn from feeling the vastness of our shared humanity and use it for positive change. It is vital to be willing to not only observe but truly comprehend the experiences of those living on the margins, as those can often be the crucial elements to understanding the systems of power and oppression at work.
Committing to the impactful work that Angelou espoused validates the importance of community and cultivates a spirit of inclusion and acceptance. By consistent action and unwavering commitment, we can uplift those who have been underserved and underrepresented, bring attention to causes that need more focus, and create pathways for true justice to take place.
At the same time, Angelou encourages us to recognize and celebrate our own personal truths, staying true to the knowledge and ideas we acquire through our own experiences. Without a complete understanding of the self, we cannot be adequately armed to fight for a cause effectively. Whether through acceptance, growth, or redefining, ultimately we must take the time to know and learn ourselves in order to internalize and actualize what it means to change a system.
Through a combination of the knowledge of injustices and of the self, we have the power to ignite a fire and bring those who seek to instill change together. Maya Angelou has given us a pathway to travel; now, it is up to us to decide where it will take us.
