--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Immigrant parents, when they first move…" description: "\"“Immigrant parents, when they first move to North America, push towards whiteness, towards assimilation, to survive and thrive. Naturally, their childr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/scaachi-koul-20250_immigrant-experience_immigrant-parents-when-they-first-move-t_893371.jpg" --- # Immigrant parents, when they first move to North America… ![“Immigrant parents, when they first move to North America, push towards whiteness, towards assimilation, to survive and thrive. Naturally, their children do too for the first half of their lives. This usually tips the other way, but before we're taught anything, we're taught to hide.” quote by Scaachi Koul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/scaachi-koul-20250_immigrant-experience_immigrant-parents-when-they-first-move-t_893371.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/scaachi-koul-20250_immigrant-experience_immigrant-parents-when-they-first-move-t_893371.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/328/scaachi-koul-20250_immigrant-experience_immigrant-parents-when-they-first-move-t_893371.jpg) > ““Immigrant parents, when they first move to North America, push towards whiteness, towards assimilation, to survive and thrive. Naturally, their children do too for the first half of their lives. This usually tips the other way, but before we're taught anything, we're taught to hide.”” [Scaachi Koul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scaachi-koul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Immigrant families push assimilation for survival, causing children to hide their identity before learning broader lessons. **In simple terms:** Parents push assimilation, children hide identity. Key Takeaway Balance cultural heritage with societal expectations. Themes identity assimilation family culture Mood thoughtful critical Type social reflective When to use this quote - school environment - workplace - community events - family gatherings Key Concepts sociology psychology immigration studies Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate cultural expectations? - What strategies help preserve heritage while thriving? A Different Perspective Pressure to conform can cause internal conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assimilation Survive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assimilation-survive-1171394/) [Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant/) [Immigrant parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant-parents/) [Immigrant-experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant-experience/) [Immigrants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrants/) [North america](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/north-america/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Whiteness Assimilation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whiteness-assimilation-1171393/) ## Related quotes > [“Being an immigrant is not a status but a state of mind. 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I remember…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-chua/i-was-raised-by-extremely-strict-but-also-extremely-loving-chinese/) [Amy Chua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-chua/) > [So I've got mates I've known since I was five years old. Their children know my children. There's something really lovely about it. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/so-i-ve-got-mates-i-ve-known-since-i-was-five-years-old-their/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [I grew up in San Diego with immigrant parents, before the food blogs, before this kind of celebrity chef culture we know now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samin-nosrat/i-grew-up-in-san-diego-with-immigrant-parents-before-the-food-blogs/) [Samin Nosrat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samin-nosrat/) > [I was born to Chinese immigrant parents, who came from Taiyuan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-pang/i-was-born-to-chinese-immigrant-parents-who-came-from-taiyuan/) [May Pang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-pang/) > [Growing up as the youngest daughter to immigrant parents, it was instilled in me from an early age to not be wasteful and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konnie-huq/growing-up-as-the-youngest-daughter-to-immigrant-parents-it-was/) [Konnie Huq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konnie-huq/) > [In our country, being from immigrant parents, growing up black in the South, coming out at 16 years old, being a teen parent... you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karamo-brown/in-our-country-being-from-immigrant-parents-growing-up-black-in-the/) [Karamo Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karamo-brown/) > [As a child, I grew up the son of German immigrant parents, so I grew up being teased and called 'Fritz' at school. 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I notice that while I might be a person of colour among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scaachi-koul/but-most-unsettling-is-how-this-time-i-notice-my-own-fairness-i/) [Scaachi Koul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scaachi-koul/) > [“Mom used to tell me that white people don't understand us, would never understand us, even when they are well-meaning and patient...I thought she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scaachi-koul/mom-used-to-tell-me-that-white-people-don-t-understand-us-would-never/) [Scaachi Koul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scaachi-koul/) > [“It's not fun to have sympathy for the people who are trying to hurt you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scaachi-koul/it-s-not-fun-to-have-sympathy-for-the-people-who-are-trying-to-hurt/) [Scaachi Koul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scaachi-koul/) [Explore all 31 Scaachi Koul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scaachi-koul/) ## More Immigrant quotes > [I identify with Superman. 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I just didn't believe acting was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaya-scodelario/i-was-painfully-shy-as-a-child-i-was-dyslexic-i-had-a-single-mother/) [Kaya Scodelario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaya-scodelario/) > [The immigrant experience of all of us is what makes us Americans, because we value in our DNA liberty and opportunity above all else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-immigrant-experience-of-all-of-us-is-what-makes-us-americans/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [In Holland I have seen well-meaning, principled people blinded by multiculturalism, overwhelmed by the imperative to be sensitive and respectful of immigrant culture, while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/in-holland-i-have-seen-well-meaning-principled-people-blinded-by/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [My father's immigrant story is a big part of who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-suozzi/my-father-s-immigrant-story-is-a-big-part-of-who-i-am/) [Tom Suozzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-suozzi/) > [My mother was an immigrant from Lebanon to the United States. 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