--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like I said, at Williamson I'm cool by…" description: "\"“Like I said, at Williamson I'm cool by default because I'm black. I can go out there and do a silly dance move I made up, and everyone will think it's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_like-i-said-at-williamson-i-m-cool-by-de_1077956.jpg" --- # Like I said, at Williamson I'm cool by default because I'm… ![“Like I said, at Williamson I'm cool by default because I'm black. I can go out there and do a silly dance move I made up, and everyone will think it's the new thing. White people assume all black people are experts on trends and shit.” quote by Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_like-i-said-at-williamson-i-m-cool-by-de_1077956.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_like-i-said-at-williamson-i-m-cool-by-de_1077956.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba1/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_like-i-said-at-williamson-i-m-cool-by-de_1077956.jpg) > ““Like I said, at Williamson I'm cool by default because I'm black. I can go out there and do a silly dance move I made up, and everyone will think it's the new thing. White people assume all black people are experts on trends and shit.”” [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## 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 notes that being Black gives them an automatic cool status, allowing them to set trends that others assume are inherently Black. **In simple terms:** Being Black makes them automatically seen as cool and trendsetting. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge stereotypes about race and talent. Themes identity stereotypes culture media representation Mood reflective critical insightful Type observational cultural social commentary When to use this quote - social media - fashion - music - public speaking - marketing Key Concepts Race coolness trendsetting bias Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate expectations based on your race? - What impact does this perception have on your creativity? A Different Perspective Stereotypes can be limiting and may pressure individuals to conform to expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Blacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blacks/) [Trends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trends/) [White people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-people/) ## Related quotes > [“The ironic thing is though, at Williamson I don't have to "play it cool"--I'm cool by default because I'm one of the only black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-ironic-thing-is-though-at-williamson-i-don-t-have-to-play-it-cool/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Not all ‘whites’ are racists. Not all racists are ‘white.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/not-all-whites-are-racists-not-all-racists-are-white/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Few whites are ready to actively promote civil rights for blacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-bell/few-whites-are-ready-to-actively-promote-civil-rights-for-blacks/) [Derrick Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-bell/) > [“I had never seen a white man filled with such fear. The remarkable truth, however, was that it was not the pistol, but my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percival-everett/i-had-never-seen-a-white-man-filled-with-such-fear-the-remarkable/) [Percival Everett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percival-everett/) > [“The attendant looked at Camilo, looked at Link, blandly, incuriously. Link thought, In New York all the black boys who go in for what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-petry/the-attendant-looked-at-camilo-looked-at-link-blandly-incuriously/) [Ann Petry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-petry/) > [“There was something lacking in these ofay places of amusement or else there was something present that one didn’t find in the black-and-tan resorts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-schuyler/there-was-something-lacking-in-these-ofay-places-of-amusement-or-else/) George S. Schuyler > [“When the singing ended, I chatted with others in my pew, including a tall, aristocratic-looking man with pomaded gray hair. I told him about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-horwitz/when-the-singing-ended-i-chatted-with-others-in-my-pew-including-a/) [Tony Horwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-horwitz/) > [“Another group with a vital role to play in the present crisis is the white Northern liberals. The racial issue that we confront in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr-2/another-group-with-a-vital-role-to-play-in-the-present-crisis-is-the/) [Martin Luther King Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr-2/) > [“I swear that white folks need to just shut the hell up sometimes. Y'all make it hard for everybody.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiese-laymon/i-swear-that-white-folks-need-to-just-shut-the-hell-up-sometimes-y/) [Kiese Laymon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiese-laymon/) > [“You may have heard the talk of diversity, sensitivity training, and body cameras. These are all fine and applicable, but they understate the task…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/you-may-have-heard-the-talk-of-diversity-sensitivity-training-and/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) > [“Whitepeople believed that whatever the manners, under every dark skin was a jungle. Swift unnavigable waters, swinging screaming baboons, sleeping snakes, red gums ready…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/whitepeople-believed-that-whatever-the-manners-under-every-dark-skin/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Excessive praise arises from the same bigotry matrix as excessive criticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-molyneux/excessive-praise-arises-from-the-same-bigotry-matrix-as-excessive/) [Stefan Molyneux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-molyneux/) > [“I had seen a photograph of Emmett Till's body just after it was pulled from the river. I had seen photographs of white folks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-had-seen-a-photograph-of-emmett-till-s-body-just-after-it-was/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“Since neither black animosity nor the Left’s falsehood of “racial tensions” is based on the actual behavior of the vast majority of white Americans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/since-neither-black-animosity-nor-the-left-s-falsehood-of-racial/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [“In the context of the Negro problem neither whites nor blacks, for excellent reasons of their own, have the faintest desire to look back;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-the-context-of-the-negro-problem-neither-whites-nor-blacks-for/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) ## More by Angie Thomas > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“For real?” I say what I’m supposed to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/for-real-i-say-what-i-m-supposed-to/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I think that the more of us who take the time to understand how someone else is feeling, the more likely we are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-think-that-the-more-of-us-who-take-the-time-to-understand-how/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [The transition from unknown to known-in-publishing has been empowering but also challenging. It's an honor to know that people actually want to know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-transition-from-unknown-to-known-in-publishing-has-been/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I really do hope 'The Hate U Give' provides mirrors for readers who don't often get them in books. I've had so many young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-really-do-hope-the-hate-u-give-provides-mirrors-for-readers-who-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their “wild African ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/slave-masters-thought-they-were-making-a-difference-in-black-people-s/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [As a black woman, I feel like I have a unique experience that we don't often see in media portrayals of the South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/as-a-black-woman-i-feel-like-i-have-a-unique-experience-that-we-don-t/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Who the fuck complains about going to Harry Potter World? Or Butter Beer? Or wands?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/who-the-fuck-complains-about-going-to-harry-potter-world-or-butter/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“With King Lords, we had a whole bunch of folks who had our backs, no matter what. They bought us clothes and shit our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/with-king-lords-we-had-a-whole-bunch-of-folks-who-had-our-backs-no/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I wanted to write a book like a rapper would write it - I didn't want to hold back. Rappers catch a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-wanted-to-write-a-book-like-a-rapper-would-write-it-i-didn-t-want/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Bent Literary Agency had a Q&A on Twitter, and I took a chance and asked if the Black Lives Matter movement was an appropriate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/bent-literary-agency-had-a-q-a-on-twitter-and-i-took-a-chance-and/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Has this situation made you fearful of cops?" she eventually asks. "I don't know," I say truthfully. "My uncle's a cop. I know not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/has-this-situation-made-you-fearful-of-cops-she-eventually-asks-i-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [My maternal grandmother was a star on her high school basketball team in small-town Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/my-maternal-grandmother-was-a-star-on-her-high-school-basketball-team/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [“Now I am that person, and I’m too afraid to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/now-i-am-that-person-and-i-m-too-afraid-to-speak/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [Representation makes a difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/representation-makes-a-difference/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) [Explore all 153 Angie Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) ## More African americans quotes > [In a lot of movies, African-Americans are either maids or slaves, but that's not all they were. 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So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/) [Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/) > [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/) [Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/) > [For people of color - especially African Americans - the idea that racist cops might frame members of their community is no abstract notion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/for-people-of-color-especially-african-americans-the-idea-that-racist/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [“He (Zerubavel) draws attention to the social influences on perception (what people notice), attention and concern (what people care about), classification (how people categorize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-griswold/he-zerubavel-draws-attention-to-the-social-influences-on-perception/) [Wendy Griswold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-griswold/) > [To those African-Americans suffering in our country, I say, what do you have to lose? Vote for Trump, I'm going to fix it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/to-those-african-americans-suffering-in-our-country-i-say-what-do-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [“The black officer checks Daddy while his partner glances around at all of the onlookers. There's quite a few of us now. Ms. Yvette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/the-black-officer-checks-daddy-while-his-partner-glances-around-at/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [African Americans are doing a lot already, but I think we have an opportunity right now to change politics in a way that will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-beckmann/african-americans-are-doing-a-lot-already-but-i-think-we-have-an/) [David Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-beckmann/) > [The uncomfortable reality we must face is that California, like the nation as a whole, has treated generations of African Americans and Latinos as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/the-uncomfortable-reality-we-must-face-is-that-california-like-the/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [Since the nations founding, African Americans repeatedly have been controlled through institutions such as slavery and Jim Crow, which appear to die but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/since-the-nations-founding-african-americans-repeatedly-have-been/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [You take a look at the history of African Americans in the US. 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In our position, there's always some sort of stereotype that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xavier-woods/as-african-americans-we-don-t-start-with-a-blank-slate-while-other/) [Xavier Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xavier-woods/) [Browse all 593 African americans quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Like I said, at Williamson I'm cool by default because I'm black. I can go out there and do a silly dance move I made up, and everyone will think it's the new thing. 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