--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I discovered I was an Asian American when…" description: "\"I discovered I was an Asian American when I arrived in the U.S. I didn't identify as that before I came here. People started calling me that, and I sta..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/mitski-6905_american_i-discovered-i-was-an-asian-american-whe_519533.jpg" --- # I discovered I was an Asian American when I arrived in the… ![“I discovered I was an Asian American when I arrived in the U.S. I didn't identify as that before I came here. People started calling me that, and I started being treated in a specific way.” quote by Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/mitski-6905_american_i-discovered-i-was-an-asian-american-whe_519533.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/mitski-6905_american_i-discovered-i-was-an-asian-american-whe_519533.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44c/mitski-6905_american_i-discovered-i-was-an-asian-american-whe_519533.jpg) > “I discovered I was an Asian American when I arrived in the U.S. I didn't identify as that before I came here. People started calling me that, and I started being treated in a specific way.” [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Asian American identity emerges through external labeling and treatment. **In simple terms:** Identity forms when others label you. Key Takeaway Reflect on how external labels shape self‑identity. Themes identity culture labeling Mood introspective thoughtful Type cultural personal When to use this quote - immigration experiences - college life - social media interactions Key Concepts diaspora social perception self‑concept Questions to Reflect On - How do labels affect your sense of self? - When do you reclaim your identity? A Different Perspective Labels can limit personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) [American Arrived](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-arrived-2326676/) [Asian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian/) [Asian american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/asian-american/) [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Discovered Asian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-asian-4386617/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-calling-482567/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [The great advantage of the American is that he has arrived at a state of democracy without having to endure a democratic revolution and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/the-great-advantage-of-the-american-is-that-he-has-arrived-at-a-state/) [Alexis De Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [The early American arrived at a land of which he knew nothing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-parker-yockey/the-early-american-arrived-at-a-land-of-which-he-knew-nothing/) [Francis Parker Yockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-parker-yockey/) > [No, the real American has not yet arrived. He is only in the Crucible, I tell you - he will be the fusion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-zangwill/no-the-real-american-has-not-yet-arrived-he-is-only-in-the-crucible-i/) [Israel Zangwill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-zangwill/) > [Asian American men, Asian men have been basically eunuchs in American cinema and television.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/asian-american-men-asian-men-have-been-basically-eunuchs-in-american/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [Hawaiis own Patsy Mink served as the first congresswoman of color and first Asian American woman in the House; she later sought the Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hanabusa/hawaiis-own-patsy-mink-served-as-the-first-congresswoman-of-color-and/) [Colleen Hanabusa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hanabusa/) > [My dad was a very unconventional Asian American man. He was very much not quiet, not shy, not passive. If he had to fart,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-wong/my-dad-was-a-very-unconventional-asian-american-man-he-was-very-much/) [Ali Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-wong/) > [I bring quadruple diversity to the Senate: I'm a woman; I'll be the first Asian woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazie-hirono/i-bring-quadruple-diversity-to-the-senate-i-m-a-woman-i-ll-be-the/) [Mazie Hirono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazie-hirono/) > [Nationally, more than one million Asian American entrepreneurs create jobs in their communities, helping fuel local commerce. In New York, we have seen firsthand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nydia-velazquez/nationally-more-than-one-million-asian-american-entrepreneurs-create/) [Nydia Velazquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nydia-velazquez/) > [My heritage is something that I have always been aware of, however, some would say that there is a disproportionately low number of Asians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-adrian/my-heritage-is-something-that-i-have-always-been-aware-of-however/) [Nathan Adrian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-adrian/) > [I wish people wouldn't just see me as the Asian girl who beats everyone up, or the Asian girl with no emotion. People see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-liu/i-wish-people-wouldn-t-just-see-me-as-the-asian-girl-who-beats/) [Lucy Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-liu/) > [Asian American success is often presented as something of a horror - robotic, unfeeling machines psychotically hellbent on excelling, products of abusive tiger parenting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-zhang/asian-american-success-is-often-presented-as-something-of-a-horror/) [Jenny Zhang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-zhang/) > [I think we have to get beyond the idea that we have to categorize people. We can now have action movies with two stars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/i-think-we-have-to-get-beyond-the-idea-that-we-have-to-categorize/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [I feel like there's this need that the Asian-American community has to feel like people. It's something that Asians in Asia do not understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cho/i-feel-like-there-s-this-need-that-the-asian-american-community-has/) [John Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cho/) > [I have been called racist slurs and been treated differently because I am Asian American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-steel/i-have-been-called-racist-slurs-and-been-treated-differently-because/) [Michelle Steel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-steel/) > [The narrative needs to change. Asian-American actresses don't want to be the damsels in distress anymore. We don't want to be saved, especially by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-chung/the-narrative-needs-to-change-asian-american-actresses-don-t-want-to/) [Jamie Chung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-chung/) ## More by Mitski > [Pop artists work really hard, and they might not work for the same things that indie artists do, but they're still musicians, and they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/pop-artists-work-really-hard-and-they-might-not-work-for-the-same/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I think my whole identity is formed around not knowing where I'm from. It might even be that I find comfort in that confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-think-my-whole-identity-is-formed-around-not-knowing-where-i-m-from/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [Maybe this is a made-up belief to preserve myself, but I do believe that everyone has a purpose, and my purpose is to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/maybe-this-is-a-made-up-belief-to-preserve-myself-but-i-do-believe/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I actually love the summer. When I went to Miami on tour, I was actually like, 'I love this place.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-actually-love-the-summer-when-i-went-to-miami-on-tour-i-was/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I hope to be a writer and musician my whole life, fingers crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-hope-to-be-a-writer-and-musician-my-whole-life-fingers-crossed/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I have this thing about being acknowledged and accepted by institutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-have-this-thing-about-being-acknowledged-and-accepted-by/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I think it's very dangerous as an artist to be comfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-think-it-s-very-dangerous-as-an-artist-to-be-comfortable/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [On tour, I don't drink, because I don't think in any other job you are supposed to get to work and drink whisky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/on-tour-i-don-t-drink-because-i-don-t-think-in-any-other-job-you-are/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I'm punk, but I love gold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-m-punk-but-i-love-gold/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [When someone is a musician - trying to make a living off being a public figure - it's really easy for people to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/when-someone-is-a-musician-trying-to-make-a-living-off-being-a-public/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [If I ever found a place where I belonged, that in itself would be an identity crisis to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/if-i-ever-found-a-place-where-i-belonged-that-in-itself-would-be-an/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I think people don't realize how little of being an artist is making art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-think-people-don-t-realize-how-little-of-being-an-artist-is-making/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [Being an outsider makes you a really good writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/being-an-outsider-makes-you-a-really-good-writer/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [What's important to me is that my songs can exist without any material anything. It's very reflective of my ideology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/what-s-important-to-me-is-that-my-songs-can-exist-without-any/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I took a few piano lessons as a kid, but it didn't last; I just learned piano from doing it over and over on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-took-a-few-piano-lessons-as-a-kid-but-it-didn-t-last-i-just-learned/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) [Explore all 96 Mitski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) ## 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. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/) [Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/) > [Food as a hobby used to be an elite pastime, and it has become something that is totally ordinary for people of every background.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-goodyear/food-as-a-hobby-used-to-be-an-elite-pastime-and-it-has-become/) [Dana Goodyear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-goodyear/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I discovered I was an Asian American when I arrived in the U.S. I didn't identify as that before I came here. 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