--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: \"Immigrant\" has become a dirty word. It…" description: "\"\"Immigrant\" has become a dirty word. It is not a bad word. It's not a curse or a swear word. It's not a dirty word and it's nothing to be ashamed about..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg" --- # "Immigrant" has become a dirty word. It is not a bad word… ![“"Immigrant" has become a dirty word. It is not a bad word. It's not a curse or a swear word. It's not a dirty word and it's nothing to be ashamed about. I am proud to be a second generation immigrant. I am proud of my heritage. We are all immigrants and we need to start owning the concept.” quote by Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg) > “"Immigrant" has become a dirty word. It is not a bad word. It's not a curse or a swear word. It's not a dirty word and it's nothing to be ashamed about. I am proud to be a second generation immigrant. I am proud of my heritage. We are all immigrants and we need to start owning the concept.” [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The term “immigrant” is stigmatized, but it is a neutral descriptor of heritage and identity that should be embraced with pride. **In simple terms:** Immigrant is a neutral label, not a curse. Key Takeaway Own your heritage and reject shame. Themes identity pride heritage social perception Mood defiant hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - Public speaking - social media activism - community workshops - educational curricula Key Concepts Stigma self‑acceptance cultural narrative Questions to Reflect On - How can we reshape public narratives about immigration? - What personal actions reinforce pride in heritage? A Different Perspective Stigma can persist despite personal pride, requiring broader societal change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Curse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curse/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) ## Related quotes > [“I turned on the water then returned to the door jamb. “That’s not fair, you’re nice and clean.” “I am?” He took a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-castro/i-turned-on-the-water-then-returned-to-the-door-jamb-that-s-not-fair/) [Nicole Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-castro/) > [To anyone who has followed the practice of using profanity or vulgarity and would like to correct the habit, could I offer this suggestion?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/to-anyone-who-has-followed-the-practice-of-using-profanity-or/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers and imaginative creators, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/with-school-turning-out-more-runners-jumpers-racers-tinkerers-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Xenophilius Lovegood," he said, extending a hand to Harry. "My daughter and I live over the hill, so kind of the Weasleys to invite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/xenophilius-lovegood-he-said-extending-a-hand-to-harry-my-daughter/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No born Londoner (it is different with people of Scotch or Irish origin) now says 'bloody,' unless he is a man of some education.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/no-born-londoner-it-is-different-with-people-of-scotch-or-irish/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The odd swear word doesn't harm anyone, does it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-harding/the-odd-swear-word-doesn-t-harm-anyone-does-it/) [Sarah Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-harding/) > [In fact, my son learned his first swear word from E.T. at age five. The way I look at it, E.T. stole a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ratzenberger/in-fact-my-son-learned-his-first-swear-word-from-e-t-at-age-five-the/) [John Ratzenberger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ratzenberger/) > [Wow it took one swear word to be blocked from the chat. wasn't this site for people to stand and write what they believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/wow-it-took-one-swear-word-to-be-blocked-from-the-chat-wasn-t-this/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [I’m in a band. I don’t go to church every Sunday. I love punk rock music. Sometimes I use swear words a lot. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-williams/i-m-in-a-band-i-don-t-go-to-church-every-sunday-i-love-punk-rock/) [Hayley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-williams/) > [Bran was the only person I knew who could use words like "blackguard" and make them sound like swear words-but then he could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/bran-was-the-only-person-i-knew-who-could-use-words-like-blackguard/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Art is a service, not a product. Created beauty is a relationship, and a relationship with the Holy at that. Reducing such work to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/art-is-a-service-not-a-product-created-beauty-is-a-relationship-and-a/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [“Pastor Ted and other evangelical pastors I hear about in the media seem to perceive just about everything to be a threat against Christianity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hemant-mehta/pastor-ted-and-other-evangelical-pastors-i-hear-about-in-the-media/) [Hemant Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hemant-mehta/) > [The key is that I'm always relevant. Some of these comedians have nothing to say. They don't have any ideas so it's "F" this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-mason/the-key-is-that-i-m-always-relevant-some-of-these-comedians-have/) [Jackie Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-mason/) > [“With school turning out more runners, jumpers, racers, tinkerers, grabbers, snatchers, fliers, and swimmers instead of examiners, critics, knowers, and imaginative creators, the word…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/with-school-turning-out-more-runners-jumpers-racers-tinkerers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There are so many little girls who follow me and look up to me. I'm their role model, so I have to make sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordyn-wieber/there-are-so-many-little-girls-who-follow-me-and-look-up-to-me-i-m/) [Jordyn Wieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordyn-wieber/) ## More by Nadine Shah > [Some of my peers are artists who are at the same level as I am and have been getting paid more than I have,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/some-of-my-peers-are-artists-who-are-at-the-same-level-as-i-am-and/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [We are never going to get anywhere unless we have an open dialogue that allows people to speak. If we just go in with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/we-are-never-going-to-get-anywhere-unless-we-have-an-open-dialogue/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [I would say that I am not that well-versed politically. I am just someone who wants to speak out about anyone who is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/i-would-say-that-i-am-not-that-well-versed-politically-i-am-just/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [We played a show the other week at this festival and it was an audience that I'd never normally play in front of. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/we-played-a-show-the-other-week-at-this-festival-and-it-was-an/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [I hate being called lazy, so when everybody gets up at half seven in the morning, I'm up at the same time. Everyone goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/i-hate-being-called-lazy-so-when-everybody-gets-up-at-half-seven-in/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [What happens when I'm making a new album is I try not to listen to music that's coming out at the time. I turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/what-happens-when-i-m-making-a-new-album-is-i-try-not-to-listen-to/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [We've been talking about the Syrian refugee crisis a lot, in the news in the U.K. and possibly the U.S., but it isn't the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/we-ve-been-talking-about-the-syrian-refugee-crisis-a-lot-in-the-news/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) > [I have received some racist abuse, but you will never see me fighting back or being aggressive on Twitter. When I do reply, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/i-have-received-some-racist-abuse-but-you-will-never-see-me-fighting/) [Nadine Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) [Explore all 9 Nadine Shah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) Stacy Green > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "\"Immigrant\" has become a dirty word. It is not a bad word. It's not a curse or a swear word. It's not a dirty word and it's nothing to be ashamed about. I am proud to be a second generation immigrant. I am proud of my heritage. We are all immigrants and we need to start owning the concept.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nadine Shah" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is-not-a-bad-word-it-s-not-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ashamed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is-not-a-bad-word-it-s-not-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/355/nadine-shah-44025_ashamed_immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is_380514.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“\"Immigrant\" has become a dirty word. It is not a bad word. It's not a curse or a swear word. It's not a…” — Nadine Shah", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nadine Shah", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-shah/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "\"Immigrant\" has become a dirty word....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is-not-a-bad-word-it-s-not-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-shah/immigrant-has-become-a-dirty-word-it-is-not-a-bad-word-it-s-not-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```