--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was growing up, my white friends…" description: "\"When I was growing up, my white friends would call me: 'Hey, Chief!' Even when I go to work now, people call me 'Chief.'\" — Adam Beach" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/adam-beach-18451_call_when-i-was-growing-up-my-white-friends-w_3175560.jpg" --- # When I was growing up, my white friends would call me… ![“When I was growing up, my white friends would call me: 'Hey, Chief!' Even when I go to work now, people call me 'Chief.'” quote by Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/adam-beach-18451_call_when-i-was-growing-up-my-white-friends-w_3175560.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/adam-beach-18451_call_when-i-was-growing-up-my-white-friends-w_3175560.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47b/adam-beach-18451_call_when-i-was-growing-up-my-white-friends-w_3175560.jpg) > “When I was growing up, my white friends would call me: 'Hey, Chief!' Even when I go to work now, people call me 'Chief.'” [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker experiences a nickname that reflects a stereotype, highlighting how racial labels persist into adulthood. **In simple terms:** A nickname based on race follows the person into work life. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge lingering stereotypes. Themes identity stereotypes race Mood reflective thoughtful Type personal social When to use this quote - workplace interactions - social gatherings - personal branding Key Concepts social labeling implicit bias Questions to Reflect On - How does this nickname affect your sense of self? - Can you reshape how others address you? A Different Perspective The nickname may be used affectionately, complicating critique. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [ “Salus populi suprema est lex \[the good of the people is the chief law\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/salus-populi-suprema-est-lex-the-good-of-the-people-is-the-chief-law/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Prayer is my chief work, and it is by means of it that I carry on the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hooker/prayer-is-my-chief-work-and-it-is-by-means-of-it-that-i-carry-on-the/) [Thomas Hooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hooker/) > [When you ask your white friends what their cultural heritage is, they don't just say white. They give you a math equation. 'Well, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hari-kondabolu/when-you-ask-your-white-friends-what-their-cultural-heritage-is-they/) [Hari Kondabolu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hari-kondabolu/) > [When I was young, kids who were more Native American than me would call me 'white boy.' To my white friends, I was 'that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/when-i-was-young-kids-who-were-more-native-american-than-me-would/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I grew up with white friends, Asian friends - Vietnamese, Chinese, Pacific Islanders. I had Hispanic friends, not just Mexican friends, but Guatemalan friends,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-coogler/i-grew-up-with-white-friends-asian-friends-vietnamese-chinese-pacific/) [Ryan Coogler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-coogler/) > [Unfortunately, as I tell my white friends, we as black people, we're never going to be successful not because of you white people but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-barkley/unfortunately-as-i-tell-my-white-friends-we-as-black-people-we-re-2/) [Charles Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-barkley/) > [A lot of times, when you don't have to deal with some of the circumstances that affect minority culture, you just don't think they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/a-lot-of-times-when-you-don-t-have-to-deal-with-some-of-the/) [Lecrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [We had good white friends who advised us against taking the war path. 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The Huxtables had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-traister/the-cosby-show-was-a-show-about-black-people-that-was-fundamentally/) [Rebecca Traister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-traister/) > [“Understanding America for the Non-American Black: Thoughts on the Special White Friend One great gift for the Zipped-Up Negro is The White Friend Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/understanding-america-for-the-non-american-black-thoughts-on-the/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [It's not reasonable for companies that have chief executives and board members who are paid very considerable sums to subsidise low pay through in-work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boris-johnson/it-s-not-reasonable-for-companies-that-have-chief-executives-and/) [Boris Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boris-johnson/) ## More by Adam Beach > [Acting for me was an escape and it wasn't until Smoke Signals that made me realize that acting is a personal development and challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/acting-for-me-was-an-escape-and-it-wasn-t-until-smoke-signals-that/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I feel I will always have that spirit bear with me, so I will always feel protected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/i-feel-i-will-always-have-that-spirit-bear-with-me-so-i-will-always/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [When I initially started acting, all I wanted to do was to be in one movie. That's it. That was my goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/when-i-initially-started-acting-all-i-wanted-to-do-was-to-be-in-one/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I was in high school. A couple of my friends and I decided we had to be in a class together where we could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/i-was-in-high-school-a-couple-of-my-friends-and-i-decided-we-had-to/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [Once you lose your parents, you get this numbness, this feeling of having to really be able to connect yourself with someone. I depended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/once-you-lose-your-parents-you-get-this-numbness-this-feeling-of/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I think when I started acting it was the first time I got the freedom of expression. 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It's like I have a place where I can release…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/acting-has-made-me-embrace-my-childhood-it-s-become-some-weird-form/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [What's nice about 'Skinwalkers' is it's allowing an audience to see a different Indian perspective... I think, for myself, I'm trying to put the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/what-s-nice-about-skinwalkers-is-it-s-allowing-an-audience-to-see-a/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [Well to me growing, up I've had my own psychological war with my parents dying at such a young age. My mother was killed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/well-to-me-growing-up-i-ve-had-my-own-psychological-war-with-my/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [You can't propel a nation to move forward if all you are doing is taking something from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/you-can-t-propel-a-nation-to-move-forward-if-all-you-are-doing-is/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [As a kid, I was just led out in the morning to go spend my day with my friends and just run in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/as-a-kid-i-was-just-led-out-in-the-morning-to-go-spend-my-day-with-my/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [I think with 'Skinwalkers,' the success of it spoke for itself. Meaning a lot of people wanted to see something new on television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/i-think-with-skinwalkers-the-success-of-it-spoke-for-itself-meaning-a/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) > [Those traumas when it comes to the historical past generation to generation; our children, our grandchildren, our future grandchildren learn these behaviors. We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-beach/those-traumas-when-it-comes-to-the-historical-past-generation-to/) [Adam Beach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) [Explore all 34 Adam Beach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-beach/) ## More Call quotes > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. 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And this is not the case in 'The Cosby Show,' because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/most-of-black-america-is-in-housing-projects-without-jobs-living-on/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [We only call at ducks when their rear ends are towards us. If I'm looking at you and you call my name, then I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jase-robertson/we-only-call-at-ducks-when-their-rear-ends-are-towards-us-if-i-m/) [Jase Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jase-robertson/) > [As someone who came to New York in the 1970s, I was, like so many of my friends, a certified member of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graydon-carter/as-someone-who-came-to-new-york-in-the-1970s-i-was-like-so-many-of-my/) [Graydon Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graydon-carter/) > [Most people I know are not hard-core religious people. They are what I would call 'lightly religious.' So I don't buy the notion that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-parker/most-people-i-know-are-not-hard-core-religious-people-they-are-what-i/) [Trey Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-parker/) > [Obama did organize a great large number of people and many enthusiastic people, what's called in the press 'Obama's Army.' But the army is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/obama-did-organize-a-great-large-number-of-people-and-many/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [It's always a wake-up call to get beaten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/it-s-always-a-wake-up-call-to-get-beaten/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [You've got Washington picking winners and losers. And so, all of a sudden, decisions are being made on what helps politicians, not what helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-hensarling/you-ve-got-washington-picking-winners-and-losers-and-so-all-of-a/) [Jeb Hensarling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-hensarling/) > [If LFC call, you have to listen and think about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timo-werner/if-lfc-call-you-have-to-listen-and-think-about-it/) [Timo Werner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timo-werner/) > [It's silly to call me the new Ed Sheeran. He can fill stadiums as a solo artist, but I'm not like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bay/it-s-silly-to-call-me-the-new-ed-sheeran-he-can-fill-stadiums-as-a/) [James Bay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bay/) > [I'm doing what all modern artists do now, which is nothing - just sit around and dream about things. 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