1.    How do you define stereotypes?
  I define a stereotype as a judgment or perception of a particular group of people that becomes erroneously classified as an absolute truth.       

2. How do you think stereotypes have progressed throughout the years?
It seems that many new stereotypes have emerged and old stereotypes have had more details added onto them with the increasing access to information. However, there is also a larger dialogue about stereotypes, how they manifest, their effects, even attempts to understand the neuroscience behind them.


3. Do you think there has been a decrease/ increase in stereotyping girls and women since you were a kid?
I feel that the stereotyping of girls and women is about the same. Though the stereotypes persist, some of the edge has been taken off of the consequences. Women in the US have more opportunities now in education and various careers.


4. Did you have someone you looked up to as a kid that acted as a sort of role model?
I didn't have a role model per se. I was kind of an oblivious kid floating along. My family is made up of great people who provided excellent examples for me though. So now, I am at a point where I have deep admiration for how they have lived and what they have accomplished.


5. What do you think the effects of stereotypes are on a person? How would that affect their daily life?
   Stereotypes are like a poison that seeps into everybody's daily life. If a negative stereotype is particularly ubiquitous, then those who fall in that group can be significantly affected by that stereotype. This can have a mental, emotional, economic, and health impact. What a person believes he/she can accomplish, how one value's education, the careers one thinks he/she can pursue, even what a person eats are all influenced. People may think they are immune, but we are social creatures who do not live a vacuum. What we see in the media, what our family's beliefs are, what our teachers, peers, co-workers believe all impress upon our minds and their beliefs are naturally tainted by stereotypes. Conversely, if the stereotype of a group is considered more desirable or positive, then those who can be classified in that group can benefit, having more confidence and resources at their disposal. However, many fail to recognize their inherent privilege.


6.   Are there any stereotypes you think you fit into? Why?
  Not really.


7. What stereotypes are you still battling today in your life?
I am a biracial (half Caucasian and half Central American Indian) woman and have lived in Houston most of my 38 years. There is a large Mexican population here. Based on my appearance, people tend to assume I am Mexican and I experience some of the stereotypes that come along with that. The stereotypes I have consistently experienced from various races and ethnic groups is that I don't speak English, which I do, that I should speak Spanish, which I speak about as well as a two-year old, that I am not educated, which I am, and that I had children starting in my teens, which I didn't. When I was younger, I was a bit bothered, but now it's just amusing. Also, being female, people have assumed that I must want to have children. I don't. I still get asked why as if there is something wrong with that choice. That can get pretty old.


8. If you have children, what would be the most important thing you could teach them about stereotypes and being themselves?
I believe the most important lesson children can learn overall is compassion for all living beings. This practice can rid society of so many ills including the stereotyping of others. Empathy and compassion can help one see another person as a whole individual rather than just fixate on a few physical characteristics. Compassion can also help children aim to be not just themselves, but the best version of themselves, the version that can make a positive contribution to the world around them.


9. “People are incapable of stereotyping you; you stereotype yourself because you're the one who accepts roles that put you in this rut or in this stereotype.”- Eva Mendes. Do you agree with this; that you put yourself in categories, or do you disagree? Why?
I think I understand the intention behind Eva Mendes' statement, that ultimately the individual must practice self-acceptance as well as take responsibility for one's choices and not give control to those who would try to stereotype him/her. It is an empowering statement and great advice, particularly for younger people who still struggle with identity and their place in the world. It can be easy to put oneself in constricting categories when bombarded with a certain stereotype in your daily life.
However, I would add that even if you don't limit yourself to particular categories, that people have their own view of the world and are still very capable of stereotyping you, particularly those in positions of power, and this can have severe consequences. If people in positions of authority cling to a strong negative stereotype of a group of people, their decisions can affect employment, the ability to purchase items, secure a loan, legal judgments, or even one's chances of surviving an encounter for that group of people. The work to combat stereotypes is far from over.