You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important
You is kind. You is smart. You is important is a Southernish modern quote meaning you matter and are worthy of love. It comes from the 2009 novel and 2011 film The Help.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Although I do like that line - "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." - I ain't heard it outside the movie. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Although I do like that line - "You is kind. You is smart. You is important." - I ain't heard it outside the movie. Pronunciation
[YOO iz KAHND. YOO iz SMAHRT.
YOO iz im-POR-tunt.]
/ju ɪz kaɪnd ju ɪz smɑrt ju ɪz ɪmˈpɔrtənt/
YOO iz im-POR-tunt.]
/ju ɪz kaɪnd ju ɪz smɑrt ju ɪz ɪmˈpɔrtənt/
Meaning & Usage
- Words of affirmation and love
Aibileen Clark:
You is kind. You is smart. You is important.
You is kind. You is smart. You is important.Origin
The quote was written by Kathryn Stockett in her novel The Help (2009) and made famous by Viola Davis in the 2011 film adaptation.
Aibileen Clark, a maid in 1960s Mississippi, tells these words to the child she cares for - a moment of tenderness that became one of the film’s most quoted lines.
Its grammar mimics genuine Southern speech patterns of the era, giving it authenticity and emotional depth.
Verdict: Southernish. Modern and scripted, yet delivered in a heartfelt Southern cadence that made it unforgettable.
Notes
- Used today as a comforting affirmation or social-media quote.
- Shows how Southern cadence gives warmth and gravity to simple words.
- Popular on posters, mugs, and motivational art.
- Fits within the "Movie-Born Southernisms" family of modern pop-culture lines.
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 12). You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/you-is-kind-you-is-smart-you-is-important
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important." HillbillySlang.com, 12 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/you-is-kind-you-is-smart-you-is-important.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important." HillbillySlang.com. November 12, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/you-is-kind-you-is-smart-you-is-important.
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Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...