These Quotes From Bustle's Rule Breakers Event Will Make You Feel Empowered

With speeches and performances from a wide array of influential individuals, Bustle's 2018 Rule Breakers event likely left attendees feeling their fair share of inspiration. Even if you weren't there, there were plenty of quotes from Bustle's Rule Breakers event that will inspire you. If you missed the event IRL, you'll still be able to relive a little of the magic through their moving words.

Before heading into these quotes, you might be wondering what Rule Breakers is all about. Well, leave it to Bustle Digital Group's Editor-In-Chief, Kate Ward, to further explain the celebration and why it's so necessary to break the rules from time to time. In her opening speech at the event, she noted the reason Bustle decided to create a digital issue that celebrates Rule Breakers everywhere: "We are talking about the powerful, usually unspoken set of social requirements attached to womanhood. These rules mostly serve one purpose: To control women's choices and lives in a country steeped in sexism and misogyny, and tell them it's for their own safety."

The performers at the Sept. 22 event, which took place in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, NY, also had some things of their own to say about people who break rules in general, and which rule breakers in their life inspire them specifically.

The evening kicked off with inspirational words flowing when Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern of the duo Sofi Tukker took to the stage, where they introduced one of their songs by saying, "This next song is called "Baby I'm a Queen" dedicated to all you queens. Just reliving the song through their music video will make you feel like the queen that you are.

Later in the night, headliner Janelle Monáe gave attendees a set jam-packed with inspiration. When introducing Monáe before she took the stage, Black Lives Matter co-founder and fellow 2018 Rule Breaker Patrisse Cullors talked about how the singer is unapologetically herself. And it's bound to inspire you to be as unapologetic in expressing yourself, too. Cullors told the audience, "She doesn't care who anyone thinks she should or shouldn't be. As society around her catches up and tears down out-of-date markers of success, love, and worth, Janelle is busy readying the world for the other side."

"To the girls, to the future, to the breakers... we make the rules."

Cullors continued her intro by explaining how much Monáe has impacted her personally. Her words will likely ring true to many others out there who have been equally as inspired by the artist. She said, "When I first heard Janelle Monáe, her voice impacted me. Her look was brilliant and the vibe, oh her vibe; it was absolutely everything. She gave me the permission — and so many young black girls like me — to show up in my full self, beyond the armor while always acknowledging the pain. Janelle Monáe your presence and music alone has saved so many lives — it saved mine."

Then Monáe spoke (and sang, of course) about the Rule Breakers message throughout her set. At one point she said, in what should be your next battle cry, "To the girls, to the future, to the breakers... we make the rules."

Monáe really brought home that rule breaking message within her set by saying, "Tonight we are celebrating self-love, embracing the things that make you unique, even it it makes others uncomfortable." There's no doubt that she's inspired so many others to simply be themselves, no matter what anyone else thinks.

So, just in case you need a little inspiration after the Rule Breakers event, these quotes will definitely help inspire you to be yourself and even break some of the rules.