"I used to object to being called an Indian writer, and would always say I was a writer who happened to be an Indian, and who happened to write about Indians"

James Welch's quote speaks to the idea of identity and how it is viewed by others. He is revealing his pain with being identified as an "Indian author" because he does not wish to be specified solely by his ethnicity. He wishes to be viewed as a writer firstly, and his Indian heritage is secondary. He is stressing that he is an author who happens to be Indian, and who happens to discuss Indians. This quote is a tip that we must not be specified by our ethnicity, but rather by our individual skills and abilities. It is a call to recognize the unique qualities of each person, no matter their background. It is a tip that we must not be judged by our race, but by our character and our actions.