Students lined the Peace Quad on Thursday, Nov. 15, getting up one-by-one to declare reasons why they didn’t fit into associated stereotypes.

As part of the annual “I’m Not a Stereotype” event, Bridging The Gap seeks to raise awareness about diversity, and change perceptions about race on campus.

“We’re trying to move from tolerating people to understanding people to acceptance,” biology senior and president of Bridging the Gap Puja Cuddapah said. “Stereotyping knocks out any individualization.”

Bridging the Gap is a student organization officially chartered in 1997. It aims to spread a message of diversity on campus and combat racial conflicts and stereotypes.

Cuddapah noted the significance of this year’s event in light of recent prejudice, such as the slew of Jewish slurs that were discovered in Biever Hall earlier in the year.

The theatre department’s concurrent running of Rebecca Gilman’s play “Spinning into Butter” also provided a unique opportunity this year. “I’m Not a Stereotype” opened with a scene from the play that dealt predominantly with the issue of race.

“It relates so well to Bridging the Gap,” Cuddapah said.
Students then lined the Quad, getting up one by one to declare reasons why they didn’t fit into stereotypes.

Travis Tran, a student at Xavier University and president of its Asian Association, was motivated to speak at the event after hearing about it through friends at Loyola.

“When people see someone who’s outspoken, it inspires them,” he said. “It’s a good cause.”

Others had similar experiences with “I’m Not a Stereotype.”

“A lot of people get the wrong idea about black men from New Orleans,” history junior Isaiah Butler said.

The event was a way for him to dispel misconceptions, and he added that he plans on participating in the event again next year.

“I’m Not a Stereotype” concluded with a speech by Lisa Martin, mass communication professor and director of the Center for Intercultural Understanding.

During her speech, she emphasized that “Loyola could be a model for the United States” through its sense of community that transcends differences. She also spoke of the importance of the election of Barack Obama in terms of confronting prejudice.

“For the first time in America’s history, we have an African American president going into office,” she said.

It was Martin’s second time speaking at the event. She viewed “I’m Not a Stereotype” as an opportunity to change the attitudes of students towards each other.

“It was just so empowering, because every day when you’re somebody who’s not a member of the dominant culture, every day you have to prove who you are, and to get up there and to be happy with who you are without having to prove it, dispelling who people think you are, is empowering,” Martin said.

She added that people “often get pegged in a hole” and are expected to act in a certain manner.
“When you get to know people, you find out who they really are,” she said.
Kim Dung Huynh, a psychology sophomore who spoke at event as well, reiterated Martin’s opinion.

“Similarities always outweigh differences,” she said. “What we should embrace are the similarities.”

Misako Hirsch can be reached at [email protected].