lack a thug Muslim a terrorist Latino an illegal immigrant
illegal immigrant
illegal immigrant these are just a few stereotypes that
these are just a few stereotypes that
these are just a few stereotypes that exist in our society whether we believe
exist in our society whether we believe
exist in our society whether we believe in them or not we can’t deny that
in them or not we can’t deny that
in them or not we can’t deny that they’re there our world is filled with
they’re there our world is filled with
they’re there our world is filled with countless amounts of unique cultures
countless amounts of unique cultures
countless amounts of unique cultures people have passed down traditions for
people have passed down traditions for
people have passed down traditions for generations in order to keep these
generations in order to keep these
generations in order to keep these cultures alive it’s what we humans have
cultures alive it’s what we humans have
cultures alive it’s what we humans have done for centuries but there are times
done for centuries but there are times
done for centuries but there are times when society just can’t let these
when society just can’t let these
when society just can’t let these practices exist there are times when our
practices exist there are times when our
practices exist there are times when our prejudices stop people from doing what
prejudices stop people from doing what
prejudices stop people from doing what they love there are times when our
they love there are times when our
they love there are times when our preconceptions forced people to hide key
preconceptions forced people to hide key
preconceptions forced people to hide key parts of who they are there are times
parts of who they are there are times
parts of who they are there are times when our judgments prevent people from
when our judgments prevent people from
when our judgments prevent people from simply existing we don’t take the time
simply existing we don’t take the time
simply existing we don’t take the time to understand or appreciate other
to understand or appreciate other
to understand or appreciate other people’s cultures just because of one
people’s cultures just because of one
people’s cultures just because of one bad example this happens all the time
bad example this happens all the time
bad example this happens all the time for instance you’re watching the news a
for instance you’re watching the news a
for instance you’re watching the news a story comes on about a black person
story comes on about a black person
story comes on about a black person robbing a store well you now think your
robbing a store well you now think your
robbing a store well you now think your black neighbor is going to rob your home
black neighbor is going to rob your home
black neighbor is going to rob your home while you’re away you’re reading the
while you’re away you’re reading the
while you’re away you’re reading the newspaper an article talks about a
newspaper an article talks about a
newspaper an article talks about a recent Islamic terrorist attack on a
recent Islamic terrorist attack on a
recent Islamic terrorist attack on a nearby city will you now think your
nearby city will you now think your
nearby city will you now think your muslim teacher is going to threaten your
muslim teacher is going to threaten your
muslim teacher is going to threaten your school you’re listening to the radio a
school you’re listening to the radio a
school you’re listening to the radio a newscaster voice of their opinion on
newscaster voice of their opinion on
newscaster voice of their opinion on illegal Latino immigrants trafficking
illegal Latino immigrants trafficking
illegal Latino immigrants trafficking drugs well you now think your latino
drugs well you now think your latino
drugs well you now think your latino coworker sells drugs on the side now
coworker sells drugs on the side now
coworker sells drugs on the side now most of the time people aren’t swayed
most of the time people aren’t swayed
most of the time people aren’t swayed this easily by things they hear about
this easily by things they hear about
this easily by things they hear about but we can’t ignore the fact that people
but we can’t ignore the fact that people
but we can’t ignore the fact that people form opinions on others just because of
form opinions on others just because of
form opinions on others just because of their ethnic background and stories we
their ethnic background and stories we
their ethnic background and stories we hear about those ethnic backgrounds we
hear about those ethnic backgrounds we
hear about those ethnic backgrounds we assume we know a person’s entire life
assume we know a person’s entire life
assume we know a person’s entire life story and everything they like to do
story and everything they like to do
story and everything they like to do just because of one example in the news
just because of one example in the news
just because of one example in the news and in fact it isn’t limits to the news
and in fact it isn’t limits to the news
and in fact it isn’t limits to the news these descriptions are enforced in our
these descriptions are enforced in our
these descriptions are enforced in our books our movies our television shows in
books our movies our television shows in
books our movies our television shows in our magazines because we assume we don’t
our magazines because we assume we don’t
our magazines because we assume we don’t get we don’t take the time to get to
get we don’t take the time to get to
get we don’t take the time to get to know people for who they actually are we
know people for who they actually are we
know people for who they actually are we define people by race and not their
define people by race and not their
define people by race and not their personality and these practices are
personality and these practices are
personality and these practices are extremely harmful to countless groups of
extremely harmful to countless groups of
extremely harmful to countless groups of people because of the labels that exist
people because of the labels that exist
people because of the labels that exist in our society people feel like they
in our society people feel like they
in our society people feel like they have to hide these parts of their lives
have to hide these parts of their lives
have to hide these parts of their lives they feel like they have to serve
they feel like they have to serve
they feel like they have to serve their cultures just to be taken
their cultures just to be taken
their cultures just to be taken seriously as a person because once they
seriously as a person because once they
seriously as a person because once they tell people their ethnicity people stop
tell people their ethnicity people stop
tell people their ethnicity people stop trying to get to know them right then
trying to get to know them right then
trying to get to know them right then and there they saw someone like them on
and there they saw someone like them on
and there they saw someone like them on TV once so automatically that means that
TV once so automatically that means that
TV once so automatically that means that they’re the exact same as them right
they’re the exact same as them right
they’re the exact same as them right too often than not people feel like they
too often than not people feel like they
too often than not people feel like they have to suppress their traditions just
have to suppress their traditions just
have to suppress their traditions just to be treated without discrimination
to be treated without discrimination
to be treated without discrimination they have to take away defining parts of
they have to take away defining parts of
they have to take away defining parts of their personality just to feel safe and
their personality just to feel safe and
their personality just to feel safe and welcomed this is my ethnic background my
welcomed this is my ethnic background my
welcomed this is my ethnic background my mom was born in South Korea and my dad
mom was born in South Korea and my dad
mom was born in South Korea and my dad is of European descent so that makes me
is of European descent so that makes me
is of European descent so that makes me half white and half Asian I have a foot
half white and half Asian I have a foot
half white and half Asian I have a foot in two different cultures on two
in two different cultures on two
in two different cultures on two different sides of the world now people
different sides of the world now people
different sides of the world now people can usually tell I’m not fully white so
can usually tell I’m not fully white so
can usually tell I’m not fully white so they’ll ask me about my race this is how
they’ll ask me about my race this is how
they’ll ask me about my race this is how the conversation usually goes what are
the conversation usually goes what are
the conversation usually goes what are you I’m half white and I’m half asian
you I’m half white and I’m half asian
you I’m half white and I’m half asian what type of Asian I’m Korean wait are
what type of Asian I’m Korean wait are
what type of Asian I’m Korean wait are you from North earth South Korea South
you from North earth South Korea South
you from North earth South Korea South Korea because if I was born in North
Korea because if I was born in North
Korea because if I was born in North Korea I wouldn’t be here right now
Korea I wouldn’t be here right now
Korea I wouldn’t be here right now conversations like these can get
conversations like these can get
conversations like these can get annoying at times so sometimes it’s just
annoying at times so sometimes it’s just
annoying at times so sometimes it’s just easier for me to hide behind a shield
easier for me to hide behind a shield
easier for me to hide behind a shield and ignore the fact that I’m Asian
and ignore the fact that I’m Asian
and ignore the fact that I’m Asian sometimes it’s easier for me to repress
sometimes it’s easier for me to repress
sometimes it’s easier for me to repress the Asian side of me just so people
the Asian side of me just so people
the Asian side of me just so people don’t assume I live up to one of the
don’t assume I live up to one of the
don’t assume I live up to one of the common misconceptions because once I
common misconceptions because once I
common misconceptions because once I tell people my ethnicity I’m
tell people my ethnicity I’m
tell people my ethnicity I’m automatically bombarded with countless
automatically bombarded with countless
automatically bombarded with countless amounts of other questions they’ll ask
amounts of other questions they’ll ask
amounts of other questions they’ll ask if I eat dog for dinner last night or if
if I eat dog for dinner last night or if
if I eat dog for dinner last night or if I passed my driver’s test they’ll ask if
I passed my driver’s test they’ll ask if
I passed my driver’s test they’ll ask if I can help them with their math homework
I can help them with their math homework
I can help them with their math homework or if I’ve karate practice on the
or if I’ve karate practice on the
or if I’ve karate practice on the weekends so you have to see sometimes
weekends so you have to see sometimes
weekends so you have to see sometimes it’s just easier for me to ignore the
it’s just easier for me to ignore the
it’s just easier for me to ignore the fact that I’m Asian but at the same time
fact that I’m Asian but at the same time
fact that I’m Asian but at the same time I can’t just do that because in reality
I can’t just do that because in reality
I can’t just do that because in reality I have a lot of pride for my Asian side
I have a lot of pride for my Asian side
I have a lot of pride for my Asian side I love being Korean I love spending my
I love being Korean I love spending my
I love being Korean I love spending my summers in California with the Korean
summers in California with the Korean
summers in California with the Korean side of my family just learning more
side of my family just learning more
side of my family just learning more about my culture I love it when we go to
about my culture I love it when we go to
about my culture I love it when we go to Korean restaurants and my mom and uncles
Korean restaurants and my mom and uncles
Korean restaurants and my mom and uncles start speaking in Korean so the waiters
start speaking in Korean so the waiters
start speaking in Korean so the waiters just to order my favorite dishes I love
just to order my favorite dishes I love
just to order my favorite dishes I love spending my Sundays down in the city at
spending my Sundays down in the city at
spending my Sundays down in the city at the Asian market and buying normal food
the Asian market and buying normal food
the Asian market and buying normal food there that would otherwise be
there that would otherwise be
there that would otherwise be categorized as oriental in a normal
categorized as oriental in a normal
categorized as oriental in a normal supermarket
supermarket
supermarket I love these parts of my life so I can’t
I love these parts of my life so I can’t
I love these parts of my life so I can’t just pretend that they don’t exist and
just pretend that they don’t exist and
just pretend that they don’t exist and of course I love the other side of me as
of course I love the other side of me as
of course I love the other side of me as well I love my pumpkin spice lattes and
well I love my pumpkin spice lattes and
well I love my pumpkin spice lattes and leggings all those trips to make
leggings all those trips to make
leggings all those trips to make after basketball games but that’s not
after basketball games but that’s not
after basketball games but that’s not all that I am either I’m half white and
all that I am either I’m half white and
all that I am either I’m half white and half Asian and I can’t be defined by a
half Asian and I can’t be defined by a
half Asian and I can’t be defined by a single stereotype people should be
single stereotype people should be
single stereotype people should be allowed to embrace and practice their
allowed to embrace and practice their
allowed to embrace and practice their cultures as much as they want because no
cultures as much as they want because no
cultures as much as they want because no matter who they are or what they believe
matter who they are or what they believe
matter who they are or what they believe in their culture is ingrained in them
in their culture is ingrained in them
in their culture is ingrained in them labels are always going to exist in our
labels are always going to exist in our
labels are always going to exist in our society but it’s up to us on if we want
society but it’s up to us on if we want
society but it’s up to us on if we want that to determine how we see people or
that to determine how we see people or
that to determine how we see people or not
not
not so again black a thug Muslim a terrorist
so again black a thug Muslim a terrorist
so again black a thug Muslim a terrorist Latino an illegal immigrant it doesn’t
Latino an illegal immigrant it doesn’t
Latino an illegal immigrant it doesn’t have to be like that we can eradicate
have to be like that we can eradicate
have to be like that we can eradicate these notions if we take the time to get
these notions if we take the time to get
these notions if we take the time to get to know one another we can change these
to know one another we can change these
to know one another we can change these descriptions if we ignore the media and
descriptions if we ignore the media and
descriptions if we ignore the media and what they present to us because we are
what they present to us because we are
what they present to us because we are so much more than our race we have so
so much more than our race we have so
so much more than our race we have so much more to provide than what a
much more to provide than what a
much more to provide than what a stereotype could ever provide for us we
stereotype could ever provide for us we
stereotype could ever provide for us we all have unique cultures and backgrounds
all have unique cultures and backgrounds
all have unique cultures and backgrounds and it’s time for us to embrace it and
and it’s time for us to embrace it and
and it’s time for us to embrace it and share that with one another rather than
share that with one another rather than
share that with one another rather than to keep it hidden in the shadows I might
to keep it hidden in the shadows I might
to keep it hidden in the shadows I might be a lot of things but I know one thing
be a lot of things but I know one thing
be a lot of things but I know one thing for certain I am NOT a stereotype
for certain I am NOT a stereotype
for certain I am NOT a stereotype [Applause]
”
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