Wilma Mankiller

“I've run into more discrimination as a woman than as an Indian.”

“Individually and collectively, Cherokee people possess an extraordinary ability to face down adversity and continue moving forward.”

“A lot of young girls have looked to their career paths and have said they'd like to be chief. There's been a change in the limits people see.”

“Growth is a painful process.”

“Everybody is sitting around saying, 'Well, jeez, we need somebody to solve this problem of bias.' That somebody is us. We all have to try to figure out a better way to get along.”

“Prior to my election, young Cherokee girls would never have thought that they might grow up and become chief.”

“In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people.”

“I don't think anybody anywhere can talk about the future of their people or of an organization without talking about education. Whoever controls the education of our children controls our future.”

“America would be a better place if leaders would do more long-term thinking.”

“There are a whole lot of historical factors that have played a part in our being where we are today, and I think that to even to begin to understand our contemporary issues and contemporary problems, you have to understand a little bit about that history.”

“We must trust our own thinking. Trust where we're going. And get the job done.”

“The secret of our success is that we never, never give up.”

“I want to be remembered as the person who helped us restore faith in ourselves.”