Community Quotes: 34 Inspiring and Empowering Quotes

No man is an island. It takes a village. Many hands make light work.

There are plenty of aphorisms and sayings about the power of community and positivity, and with good reason. When the right group of individuals come together, their collective effort surpasses the mere sum of their individual contributions, thanks to the phenomenon known as synergy. Working collaboratively, they achieve more tasks due to the presence of additional hands and gain access to a broader pool of ideas and creativity that would have been unattainable individually.

Instead of taking my word on the strength of community, let’s look at some famous community quotes by influential figures who understand the power of togetherness so you can get motivated.

Community Quotes from Activists

When fighting injustice and inequality, these activists know you cannot change the world alone.

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

Helen Keller was a deaf-blind American activist and author who advocated for the rights of people with disabilities. This quote highlights the power of community and collective action to accomplish significant goals.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” – Mother Teresa

“I am because we are.” – John Mbiti

John Mbiti was a Kenyan philosopher and theologian. This African proverb emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals within a community, highlighting the idea that our existence and identity are deeply intertwined with others.

“In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.” – Marianne Williamson

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King

Additional Community Quotes from Activists

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent civil rights activist in the United States. This quote underscores the importance of community solidarity and the recognition that injustice affects not only the immediate victims but poses a danger to the whole community’s pursuit of justice and equality.

“At the heart of all civilization… is ‘community’ – the mutually cooperative and voluntary venture of man to assume a semblance of responsibility for his brother.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

“A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from the knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are diminished, when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed.” – Desmond Tutu

“We cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community… Our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.” – Cesar Chavez

Community Quotes from Authors

No author creates in a vacuum. Every piece of writing is influenced by every piece that came before it. Authors cannot, and should not, escape the community of writers and the legacy of literature that came before them.

“No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” – John Donne

This line is from the poem “Meditation XVII,” written by the English poet and cleric John Donne. The quote emphasizes the interdependence and interconnectedness of individuals within a larger community.

“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.” – Kurt Vonnegut

“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals.” – Idowu Koyenikan

Additional Quotes from Philosophers

“It takes a village to raise a child.” – African Proverb

While the origin of this proverb is attributed to various African cultures, it gained widespread recognition after Hillary Clinton used it as the title of her book in 1996. The quote underscores the collective responsibility of a community in nurturing and supporting the growth of its children.

“When the Stranger says: “What is the meaning of this city? Do you huddle close together because you love each other?” What will you answer? “We all dwell together to make money from each other”? or “This is a community”? Oh my soul, be prepared for the coming of the Stranger. Be prepared for him who knows how to ask questions.” – T.S. Eliot

“When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.” – Ethiopian Proverb

This African proverb illustrates the strength and power that a unified community possesses. By working together and forming strong bonds, even the most formidable challenges can be overcome.

“One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” – Shannon L. Alder

“We don’t heal in isolation, but in community.” – S. Kelley Harrell

“Where there is not community, trust, respect, ethical behavior are difficult for the young to learn and for the old to maintain.” – Robert K. Greenleaf

“If you possess enough courage to speak out what you are, you will find you are not alone.” – Richard Wright

Community Quotes from Philosophers

Philosophers consider themselves the thinkers closest to understanding humanity’s purposes, motivations, and soul. Many of these philosophers have found a similar truth; the heart of humanity is a true community.

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” – Aristotle

This quote is often attributed to the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle. It emphasizes the concept of synergy within a community, where the collective efforts and contributions of individuals lead to a greater and more significant outcome.

“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people.” – Jean Vanier

“All struggle, all resistance is – must be – concrete. And all struggle has a global resonance. If not here, then there. If not now, then soon. Elsewhere as well as here.” – Susan Sontag

More Community Quotes from Philosophers

“I am what I am because of who we all are.” – Ubuntu philosophy

While not attributed to a specific philosopher, Ubuntu is an African philosophy that highlights the interconnectedness of humanity. This quote captures the essence of Ubuntu, emphasizing that our individual identity is shaped and defined by our relationships and interactions with others.

“When… we, as individuals, obey laws that direct us to behave for the welfare of the community as a whole, we are indirectly helping to promote the pursuit of happiness by our fellow human beings.” – Aristotle

“No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members are poor and miserable.” – Adam Smith

Adam Smith was a Scottish philosopher and economist, often referred to as the father of modern economics. This quote, from his seminal work “The Wealth of Nations,” underscores the idea that a thriving community depends on the well-being and prosperity of its members, and societal progress is hindered when a large portion of the population is in poverty and distress.

“Each citizen should play his part in the community according to his individual gifts.” – Plato

Community Quotes from Political Leaders

When your job depends on votes, you start to understand the power a group of people can hold. The best political leaders are those who have the good of the community in mind.

“We are all in this together, and we are going to tackle the problems facing our country as one community.” – Jacinda Ardern

Jacinda Ardern is the Prime Minister of New Zealand. This quote reflects her emphasis on unity and collective action to address the challenges that the nation faces.

“The best education I received was working with people in the community on a grassroots basis. Because what it taught me was that ordinary people, when they are working together can do extraordinary things.” – Barack Obama

“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent civil rights leader in the United States. This quote highlights the urgency of building a harmonious and inclusive community where cooperation and understanding are essential for progress.

“We must see others’ struggles as our own, and their success as our success, so we can speak to our common humanity.” – Ilhan Omar

Additional Quotes from Political Leaders

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi was a leader in India’s independence movement against British rule. This quote emphasizes the transformative power of community service and selflessness in discovering one’s purpose and connection with others.

“What I try to tell young people is that if you come together with a mission, and it’s grounded with love and a sense of community, you can make the impossible possible.” – John Lewis

“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” – Margaret J. Wheatley

Margaret Wheatley is a well-known management consultant and writer on organizational behavior. This quote highlights the potential of a community coming together, driven by shared passions and values, to bring about meaningful and positive change.

“When we stand together, there is nothing, nothing, nothing we cannot accomplish.” – Bernie Sanders

The Power of Community

Chances are, you’ve witnessed the power of community in your lifetime. How can you use a community to achieve your goals in your business? In your personal life? In your neighborhood?