Friday, January 14, 2011

I'm taking Intro to Stereotype 101

Stereotypes are often difficult to avoid in today's societies. Many times we make decisions based on the stereotypes our elders instilled in us while growing up. Whether it was during the first day of fourth grade and your mom told you to zip up your book bag because of your 3 black classmates, or perhaps in college when your best friend advised you to get your professor a bottle of Tabasco sauce for Christmas because she is Mexican. Not a lot of people take the time to stop and analyze if these are true, instead they continue going through life with these misconceptions floating around in their minds.

"Reporting in a Multi-Ethnic Community" seems like it will be a very promising class, one from which many of the students in it will realize that stereotypes are just that stereotypes. The class requires that a Community Insight Project is turned in at the end of the semester. Each student must find a population or group that they are uncomfortable with, know nothing about, or are scared off and visit that certain location at least 3 times during the semester. Although a challenging assignment, it is also going to be very exciting because all the students are required to interact with the individuals who visit that place.

Making a decision as to what place I will be visiting has not been easy. In order to really learn and grow from this experience I want to choose a place that will really push the boundaries of my comfort zone. Different groups I have considered are the lesbian and gay community, the Mexican population, the homeless, folks living in Liberty City or Overtown, and unwed teenage mothers. I have to yet to make my final decision but before the end of this weekend I will know what community I will  be visiting.

STAY TUNED!

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