--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The ironic thing is though, at Williamson…" description: "\"“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 kids there… Funny how ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_the-ironic-thing-is-though-at-williamson_1345734.jpg" --- # The ironic thing is though, at Williamson I don't have to… ![“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 kids there… Funny how it works with white kids though. It's dope to be black until it's hard to be black.” quote by Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_the-ironic-thing-is-though-at-williamson_1345734.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_the-ironic-thing-is-though-at-williamson_1345734.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88f/angie-thomas-2699_african-americans_the-ironic-thing-is-though-at-williamson_1345734.jpg) > ““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 kids there… Funny how it works with white kids though. It's dope to be black until it's hard to be black.”” [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. Being black can feel both empowering and burdensome, especially in predominantly white settings where identity is highlighted. **In simple terms:** Black identity can be both a source of pride and pressure. Key Takeaway Recognize and support the complex experiences of Black youth. Themes identity race social dynamics peer pressure Mood reflective empathetic Type personal social When to use this quote - school environment - social gatherings - online communities - family discussions Key Concepts intersectionality cultural pride psychological stress Questions to Reflect On - How does being a minority affect daily interactions? - What support helps navigate identity pressure? A Different Perspective May overlook individual differences within Black experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African americans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-americans/) [Blacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blacks/) [Ironic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ironic/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Teens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teens/) ## Related quotes > [“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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/like-i-said-at-williamson-i-m-cool-by-default-because-i-m-black-i-can/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [There are constant challenges about what's 'mainstream.' These kids in 'Dope' are as mainstream as the kids in 'Superbad' or 'The Breakfast Club.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-famuyiwa/there-are-constant-challenges-about-what-s-mainstream-these-kids-in/) [Rick Famuyiwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-famuyiwa/) > [The most ironic thing of all is, I think this will be the most difficult breakup I ever go through, and we never even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-ironic-thing-of-all-is-i-think-this-will-be-the-most/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The only ironic thing about that song is that it's called 'Ironic' and it is written by a woman who doesn't know what irony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-byrne/the-only-ironic-thing-about-that-song-is-that-it-s-called-ironic-and/) Ed Byrne > [YOLO is by far the most ironic thing you can say on twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/yolo-is-by-far-the-most-ironic-thing-you-can-say-on-twitter/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“And the most ironic thing? If Kanin hadn't Turned me, I would never have met Zeke. But being a vampire meant I could never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-kagawa/and-the-most-ironic-thing-if-kanin-hadn-t-turned-me-i-would-never/) [Julie Kagawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-kagawa/) > [The most ironic thing is that The Pirate Bay's enemies include not just the U.S. government but also many European and the Russian one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sunde/the-most-ironic-thing-is-that-the-pirate-bay-s-enemies-include-not/) [Peter Sunde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sunde/) > [“When Kirsten carried out a portable defibrillator the size of a breadbox, I very nearly went into cardiac arrest. Which, let’s face it, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-spain/when-kirsten-carried-out-a-portable-defibrillator-the-size-of-a/) [Emmett Spain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-spain/) > [I try to keep it positive and play it cool. shoot up the play ground and tell the kids to stay in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eminem/i-try-to-keep-it-positive-and-play-it-cool-shoot-up-the-play-ground/) [Eminem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eminem/) > [“I play it cool. "Uh,yeah, I think so," I say, furioously kicking my feet in the air. "You?" "Yeah,it should be pretty fun," he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alecia-whitaker/i-play-it-cool-uh-yeah-i-think-so-i-say-furioously-kicking-my-feet-in/) [Alecia Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alecia-whitaker/) > [For any music aficionados out there, if you just play E to G, with a cool hairdo, you can't go wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/for-any-music-aficionados-out-there-if-you-just-play-e-to-g-with-a/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [“Instead, play it cool, heed the advice of Wilson Phillips, and "Hold on for one more day…”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-mathews/instead-play-it-cool-heed-the-advice-of-wilson-phillips-and-hold-on/) [Ross Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-mathews/) > [I don't mind what the role is at all; I just want to play cool characters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-cudmore/i-don-t-mind-what-the-role-is-at-all-i-just-want-to-play-cool/) [Daniel Cudmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-cudmore/) > [“In stressful situations, people often talk about a fight-or-flight response. Which, in my opinion, doesn’t give enough credit to the more common reaction of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sloane-crosley/in-stressful-situations-people-often-talk-about-a-fight-or-flight/) [Sloane Crosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sloane-crosley/) > [I just want to play ball. As long as people like the way I play, I'm cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/i-just-want-to-play-ball-as-long-as-people-like-the-way-i-play-i-m/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) ## 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. We need to show that. And we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/in-a-lot-of-movies-african-americans-are-either-maids-or-slaves-but/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/) [Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. 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. There's been about thirty years of relative freedom. There was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/you-take-a-look-at-the-history-of-african-americans-in-the-us-there-s/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Michael Schultz's 'Cooley High' is a classic. Oftentimes, we don't get to see films about coming of age, especially for young African Americans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salim-akil/michael-schultz-s-cooley-high-is-a-classic-oftentimes-we-don-t-get-to/) [Salim Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salim-akil/) > [As African-Americans, we don't start with a blank slate, while other people may. 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": "“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 kids there… Funny how it works with white kids though. 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