"It's therapy. [people] say true healing requires honest confrontation, and that can be seen on a macro scale with America and the things that have been swept under the rug, whether it be with the native Americans or slavery, or whatever holocaust that's happened on this soil."
About Nate Parker
Nate Parker — Life and Legacy
Nate Parker is a multifaceted American actor, director, and producer, recognized for his significant contributions to cinema, particularly through his film 'The Birth of a Nation.' This work not only tells the story of Nat Turner's rebellion but also serves as a poignant commentary on the ongoing struggles against racial oppression. Parker's core philosophy revolves around the power of storytelling as a means of social change. He believes that art should reflect the realities of the world, as expressed in his quote, 'Art is a reflection of the world.' This perspective drives his commitment to creating narratives that challenge societal norms and provoke thought, particularly regarding race and identity. His work often reflects his personal experiences with racism, adding depth to his storytelling. The relevance of Parker's quotes and films continues today, as they resonate with audiences grappling with issues of identity and social justice. His ability to articulate the complexities of the African American experience through film not only educates but also inspires dialogue, making his contributions to the arts both impactful and essential.
Quote collection
Nate Parker quotes (page 1 of 3)
57 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"When you're 19, a threesome is normal. It's fun."
"My mother always tells me, "Fear isn't from God," and I believe that. But sometimes, I wonder whether I'll be able step into the shoes that God has prepared for me."
"When an artist becomes complacent, he dies."
"We kind of reduce our responsibility to not saying the N-word and to condemning the Klansmen, rather than saying many of our celebrated institutions are systemically racist. Many of our institutions that deal with law enforcement or controlling the bodies of Black people are systemically racist. Many of our educational institutions are systemically racist. Many of our corporate institutions are systemically racist. We don't have those conversations, so things don't change."
"I think it's like the '60s - we're going to see another revolution in film where these new filmmakers stand up and take ownership of what film is and mould it into what they want."
"Trying to convince someone that they are a racist or they have White Privilege - if it's in the air they breathe and the culture supports them, sometimes they never have to think about it at all."
"Sadly, black people disassociate ourselves from the things which make us who we are, identifying them as lesser, or inferior. It's a form of self hate."
"And when I say dominate, I just mean work harder than anyone else could possibly work at it."
"I need to take toward a lot of things that will refine me and make me better suited for leading anyone out of any place of injustice to a place of justice."
"I'm not perfect, I'm a flawed man, but I'm willing to try to get better, I'm willing to listen."
"When I was young, to have a big nose, big lips or dark skin was the worst. You were the wretched."
"I want young people to ask me if I'm serious. Our young people have been lied to and misled for so long. When I stand on this soapbox, I want young people to ask me that because once they know I'm serious, they'll be willing to ride with me."
"I'm a work in progress. I'm trying to be better."
"I prefer to make movies which not only have a message for "then" but a message for "now.""
"I don't want to be a leader that is one-dimensional or two-dimensional because he's not willing to be open."
"If a person was accused of being a racist when he was young - he said some racially insensitive thing or someone had him on tape calling someone the n-word or whatever - and then you fast forward and he feels, Oh, back then I didn't say this or that. He's not thinking about the person that he hurt when he said what he said, or however it came out, or the effects that it could have had. He's not thinking about it. He's thinking about his own self and how he feels."
"A lot of those old ideas are dying with the people who created them, and there's this new generation of filmmaker that's saying, "We're in this together, these are issues that we all deal with, let's just present issues to screen without bias and figure out what the audience has to say about them.""
"Every day I'm reassessing what I've been taught against what I see, and the man I need to be if I'm going to call myself a leader of anybody."
"This is the psychosis of being a human being - the things that we deal with on a day-to-day basis that make us who we are and that sometimes we have to get on the couch and talk out."