Assata Shakur on Breaking Barriers: “A Wall Is Just a Wall”

“I have been locked by the lawless. Handcuffed by the haters. Gagged by the greedy. And, if I know anything at all, it’s that a wall is just a wall and nothing more at all. It can be broken down.”

- Assata Shakur, Activist & Author

The Power of Breaking Down Walls

Assata Shakur is one of the most recognized and controversial figures of the Black liberation movement in the 1970s. As a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, she endured imprisonment, harsh conditions, and public scrutiny. Yet in the midst of her struggles, she gave us words that extend beyond politics into the human spirit: “A wall is just a wall… it can be broken down.”

Her message speaks to every woman who has ever faced obstacles - in business, career, or personal life. Assata reminds us that the barriers we face may look unbreakable, but they are not permanent. They are challenges, not life sentences.

Assata Shakur’s Words Inspire Women to Break Barriers

Let’s Dive In: How This Applies to YOU

1. Walls in Business & Career - Maybe your “wall” looks like lack of funding, rejection, or being overlooked for opportunities. Assata’s words remind us that walls are not there to stop us forever. With persistence, creativity, and faith, they can be moved, climbed, or broken.

2. Walls in Personal Life - Self-doubt, fear, or past failures can feel like concrete barriers. But every step forward, every new skill learned, every boundary set, every risk taken, chips away at that wall.

3. Resilience in the Face of Struggle - Assata’s life reminds us that resilience is built in the darkest moments. She faced physical walls, yet she never surrendered her belief in freedom, dignity, and the possibility of breaking through. Women today can take that same spirit and apply it to their goals: the dream is worth the fight.

   
   

Reflections for the Week

• What “walls” do I see in my career, business, or personal life right now?

• Am I treating these walls as permanent, or as temporary challenges?

• What action can I take this week to chip away at one of those barriers?

  
  

5 Star Reminder

A wall is just a wall. Obstacles are temporary. With faith, resilience, and persistence, they can be broken down.

Journal Prompt

"What wall in my life am I ready to stop staring at - and start breaking down?"