--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, kids who were more…" description: "\"When I was young, kids who were more Native American than me would call me 'white boy.' To my white friends, I was 'that Indian kid.'\" — Brady Jandreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/brady-jandreau-24120_american_when-i-was-young-kids-who-were-more-nati_3101572.jpg" --- # When I was young, kids who were more Native American than… ![“When I was young, kids who were more Native American than me would call me 'white boy.' To my white friends, I was 'that Indian kid.'” quote by Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/brady-jandreau-24120_american_when-i-was-young-kids-who-were-more-nati_3101572.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/brady-jandreau-24120_american_when-i-was-young-kids-who-were-more-nati_3101572.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/brady-jandreau-24120_american_when-i-was-young-kids-who-were-more-nati_3101572.jpg) > “When I was young, kids who were more Native American than me would call me 'white boy.' To my white friends, I was 'that Indian kid.'” [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identity labels can be contradictory; others may assign conflicting cultural identities based on appearance. **In simple terms:** People may label you differently than you see yourself. Key Takeaway Embrace personal identity despite external labels. Themes identity culture perception Mood thoughtful empathetic Type personal reflective When to use this quote - workplace diversity training - personal reflection - community dialogue Key Concepts social psychology ethnicity self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when others misidentify you? - What steps help you assert your own identity? A Different Perspective External labels can cause internal conflict and confusion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Native american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/native-american/) ## Related quotes > [I was very shy as a kid, but films fascinated me a lot. 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I think there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/i-m-not-good-at-anything-except-writing-jokes-i-wasn-t-good-at-sports/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Growing up, I was the only Indian kid around for miles, so I ached to belong. I had a neighborhood pack of nine guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/growing-up-i-was-the-only-indian-kid-around-for-miles-so-i-ached-to/) [Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/) > [Every Indian kid has access to MySpace and Facebook. But that doesn't mean they have access to books and great teachers. This idea about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/every-indian-kid-has-access-to-myspace-and-facebook-but-that-doesn-t/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I'm like a black boy in a white girls body, I really am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/i-m-like-a-black-boy-in-a-white-girls-body-i-really-am/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [“...the white man's God was a lot like him. He never for a second figured there was anyone else already here. He figured it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-s-belcher/the-white-man-s-god-was-a-lot-like-him-he-never-for-a-second-figured/) [R.S. Belcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-s-belcher/) > [I don't need a knight in shining armor on a white horse. A sweet country boy in a white truck will do just fine,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-need-a-knight-in-shining-armor-on-a-white-horse-a-sweet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Photo of boy with white dirt on his faceYou may be on the right track, but if you just sit there you'll get run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-h-dunn/photo-of-boy-with-white-dirt-on-his-faceyou-may-be-on-the-right-track/) [Paul H. Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-h-dunn/) > [I've been in situations where I was 'black boy white,' or 'white boy black.' People didn't know, "Is he the whitest black person in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-michael/i-ve-been-in-situations-where-i-was-black-boy-white-or-white-boy/) [Kevin michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-michael/) > [Black boy, white boy, Clean black boy, white boy clothes, Black boy, white boy style, Makes the black girl, white girl notice me, Everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-porter/black-boy-white-boy-clean-black-boy-white-boy-clothes-black-boy-white/) [Travis Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-porter/) > [“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/) > ['The Cosby Show' was a show about black people that was fundamentally and unequivocally friendly to whiteness and to white people. 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/) > [You need white friends that invite you to go camping, kayaking and to watch solar eclipses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-need-white-friends-that-invite-you-to-go-camping-kayaking-and-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Brady Jandreau > [My dad - I mean, we've had our ups and downs, you know, just like any father and son probably has. But, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/my-dad-i-mean-we-ve-had-our-ups-and-downs-you-know-just-like-any/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I was baptized Catholic, but I don't - I'm just a Christian. Anybody that has any room to judge any other Christian isn't very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-was-baptized-catholic-but-i-don-t-i-m-just-a-christian-anybody-that/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [My part of the world - it's like time forgot it almost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/my-part-of-the-world-it-s-like-time-forgot-it-almost/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [You cannot break a horse until they're about 2 years old. You can halter-break them, meaning teach them how to lead and stuff, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/you-cannot-break-a-horse-until-they-re-about-2-years-old-you-can/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [After my head injury, I was, like, bipolar, an emotional wreck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/after-my-head-injury-i-was-like-bipolar-an-emotional-wreck/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [A horse, you know, they can't say, 'Hi? How are you? I'm so-and-so,' you know? So they communicate through typically smelling or, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/a-horse-you-know-they-can-t-say-hi-how-are-you-i-m-so-and-so-you-know/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [Not everybody's life is a movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/not-everybody-s-life-is-a-movie/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I've already told so many people my stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-ve-already-told-so-many-people-my-stories/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I've always been up for a challenge, and you gotta connect with the camera and the audience the same way you gotta connect with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-ve-always-been-up-for-a-challenge-and-you-gotta-connect-with-the/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [Something good always comes from something bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/something-good-always-comes-from-something-bad/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I'm a cowboy and an Indian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-m-a-cowboy-and-an-indian/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I don't think you're very strong unless you've cried a few tears. You've never really lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-don-t-think-you-re-very-strong-unless-you-ve-cried-a-few-tears-you/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [Horsemanship and the cowboy lifestyle and my culture as a Native American are all three things that are very, very important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/horsemanship-and-the-cowboy-lifestyle-and-my-culture-as-a-native/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I'm not that educated in filmmaking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-m-not-that-educated-in-filmmaking/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) > [I've worked with horses since I was a little kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brady-jandreau/i-ve-worked-with-horses-since-i-was-a-little-kid/) [Brady Jandreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) [Explore all 25 Brady Jandreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brady-jandreau/) ## More American quotes > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [William Maxwell's my favorite North American writer, I think. And an Irish writer who used to write for 'The New Yorker' called Maeve Brennan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/william-maxwell-s-my-favorite-north-american-writer-i-think-and-an/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [I have fallen in love with American names, the sharp names that never get fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/i-have-fallen-in-love-with-american-names-the-sharp-names-that-never/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) > [Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in a tremendous investment to support millions of workers without a paycheck and behind on bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/congress-passed-the-american-rescue-plan-act-in-a-tremendous/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy and employ almost half of the working population. Yet because of their size, they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/small-businesses-are-the-backbone-of-the-american-economy-and-employ/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) > [Although I write in English, and despite the fact that I'm from America, I consider myself an Armenian writer. The words I use are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-saroyan/although-i-write-in-english-and-despite-the-fact-that-i-m-from/) [William Saroyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-saroyan/) > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [Firefighters and rescue workers are American superheroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/firefighters-and-rescue-workers-are-american-superheroes/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [New York and San Francisco are distinctly different. San Francisco is driving the American media, not New York. You have young, microwaved millionaires and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-whitlock/new-york-and-san-francisco-are-distinctly-different-san-francisco-is/) [Jason Whitlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-whitlock/) > [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. 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But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) Browse all 7,717 American quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was young, kids who were more Native American than me would call me 'white boy.' 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