Linda Sarsour
Linda Sarsour – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes
Explore the life story, activism, controversies, and most powerful quotes of Linda Sarsour, an American Muslim-Palestinian feminist and civil rights organizer known for her leadership in the Women’s March and intersectional advocacy.
Introduction
Linda Sarsour (born 1980) is a Palestinian-Muslim American activist, community organizer, and writer whose prominence rose during the era of soaring social movements in the United States. Known for her fierce defense of marginalized communities, vocal advocacy on feminism, Islamophobia, immigrant rights, and racial justice, she became one of the most visible faces of progressive activism in the 2010s. Her journey is shaped by personal conviction, community struggles, and the complexities of navigating identity and dissent in the public sphere.
In this article, you'll gain a deep understanding of Sarsour’s early life, social and political work, leadership in mass movements, controversies, legacy, selected quotes, and lessons that emerge from her life.
Early Life and Family
Linda Sarsour was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1980, the eldest of seven children. Linda’s. Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended local public schools.
She has often described her upbringing as rooted in community, striving, and constant negotiation of multiple identities—as a Muslim, as a daughter of immigrants, and as a woman in America.
Her ambition in youth was to become an English teacher. To that end, she studied at Kingsborough Community College and then Brooklyn College.
At age 17, she entered into an arranged marriage and by her mid-20s had three children. Al-Bireh, a city in the West Bank.
Her role as a mother and in caring for family is often mentioned as integral to her activism—not a diversion from it.
Youth, Education & Early Activism
Growing up, Sarsour was exposed to the tensions and challenges faced by Muslim and Arab communities in New York—particularly in the wake of 9/11 and the rise of surveillance, racial profiling, and Islamophobia.
Shortly after 9/11, she became involved in advocacy around police and intelligence surveillance of Muslim Americans, stepping into roles with the Arab American Association of New York and local community organizations.
Her early work also involved mobilizing around issues such as civil rights, immigrant rights, mass incarceration, and collective action among Muslim communities.
Over time, her activism expanded beyond exclusively Muslim or Arab issues to embrace intersectional justice—linking race, gender, sexuality, class, and immigration as interconnected struggles.
Career and Achievements
Leadership in Arab American Association & Local Advocacy
By age 25, Sarsour became the executive director of the Arab American Association of New York, succeeding her mentor Basemah Atweh who died in a car accident. Community Safety Act in New York, which expanded oversight of police profiling.
She also lobbied for New York City public schools to officially recognize Islamic holidays (Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha).
Active in national networks, she served in roles such as Advocacy and Civic Engagement Coordinator for the National Network for Arab American Communities.
National & Movement Leadership
Sarsour rose to national prominence when she was recruited as a co-chair of the 2017 Women’s March, a mass mobilization in response to the inauguration of Donald Trump. 2017 Day Without a Woman action and the 2019 Women’s March.
In 2017, Sarsour and her Women's March co-chairs were named among Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
She was the lead plaintiff in Sarsour v. Trump, challenging the travel ban on several Muslim-majority nations.
Sarsour helped found MPOWER Change, considered one of the first Muslim online organizing platforms, and Until Freedom, an intersectional racial justice organization.
She has been a frequent commentator in media, speaking about Islamophobia, feminism, racial justice, and policy.
Controversies and Backlash
Sarsour’s activism has also drawn criticism, particularly over her statements about Israel and the Palestinian cause. She supports Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) against Israel and has been described as anti-Zionist.
She has faced allegations of antisemitism—and backlash over some alliances in the Women’s March leadership related to failure to strongly condemn antisemitism. In 2019, she and her co-chairs stepped down from leadership amid these controversies.
During her 2017 CUNY commencement speech, there was substantial opposition, including calls to rescind her invitation, from conservative actors objecting to her views on Middle East politics.
She has defended her stances vigorously, stating that her Palestinian advocacy and criticisms of Israeli policy should not equate to hatred of Jews—an argument that remains contested in public discourse.
Legacy and Influence
Linda Sarsour’s impact manifests across several dimensions:
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Visibility for Muslim women in leadership
She challenged stereotypes about what a Muslim activist looks like—wearing hijab, speaking unapologetically, organizing at scale. -
Intersectional activism model
Her approach shows how feminist, racial justice, immigrant rights, and religious justice work can and should intersect. -
Movement building & organizing
She has helped show how local community work can scale into national influence and coalition-building across diverse groups. -
Polarizing yet catalytic figure
Whether one agrees with all her stances or not, she has pushed critical conversations in American activism—particularly around Palestine, Islamophobia, and the boundaries of free speech and dissent.
Her critics and supporters alike treat her as emblematic of a new generation of activists: bold, networked, willing to take risks, and unafraid of controversy.
Personality, Talents & Style
Sarsour is often described as fearless, direct, passionate, and unapologetic. She speaks from experience and embodies the idea that personal cannot be separated from political.
She is a skilled organizer: capable of coalition-building, grassroots mobilization, digital outreach, and media engagement. Her public speaking is forceful and emotionally resonant.
At times, she embraces controversy as part of the activist’s burden: she sees dissent, pushback, and critique as inevitable in the struggle for justice.
Yet, she also emphasizes humility: working with impacted people, centering voices closest to the pain, and recognizing limits of power.
Famous Quotes of Linda Sarsour
Here are some notable quotes attributed to Linda Sarsour:
“We have never been outnumbered, we have only been out organized.” “What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? … The fact that we are here … is an attempt to break that silence and bridge some of those differences…” “We must stand together united in solidarity against the targeting, demonization, and vilification of any group of people.” “Look, yes, I’m a Muslim woman and I want to bring my community to the table, but I also want to make sure that I’m not being tokenized.” “If you’re on the side of the oppressor, or you’re defending the oppressor, or you’re actually trying to humanize the oppressor, then that’s a problem.” “I’m Muslim. I’m Palestinian. I’m a woman in a hijab.”
These lines reflect her commitment to voice, resistance, intersectionality, and integrity.
Lessons from Linda Sarsour
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Speak from your truth, even when controversial
Sarsour’s career illustrates that being outspoken and rooted in identity draws both praise and attack—but can shift discourse and open space. -
Build intersections, not silos
Her approach to activism suggests that struggles against racism, sexism, xenophobia, and other oppressions are linked and must be addressed together. -
Community roots matter
Her early work in community organizations anchored her later national activism—showing that grassroots grounding strengthens broader reach. -
Resilience under pressure
Facing threats, media attacks, and criticism, she’s persisted. Activism often comes with backlash; longevity requires stamina and adaptation. -
Contested leadership is still leadership
Even when divisive, she has shaped conversations, provoked reflection, and forced reckoning on issues many preferred to avoid.
Conclusion
Linda Sarsour is a figure who both inspires and provokes. She is a paradox in motion—rooted in faith and identity, but audacious in public dissent; praised by many for her boldness, criticized by others for her positions. Through her organizing, leadership in the Women’s March, and vocal defense of marginalized communities, she has left a meaningful imprint on American activism.