What are some of the stereotypes about you or your community?

The Prompt:
After watching the videos above and considering Adichie’s warning about the danger of the single story, this essay assignment asks you to think about an aspect of your identity (who you are personally) that is misrepresented or stereotyped.
Your Goal:
To educate readers about how stereotypes are harmful and how they can dehumanize or make it difficult for others to see the inherent dignity and humanity of individuals.
Some questions to consider as you brainstorm and write:
What are some of the stereotypes about you or your community?
What are some of the misconceptions that people have about you?
Explain why the typical stereotype is harmful.
In two to three (typed and double-spaced pages) explain why the stereotype(s) represents an aspect of your identity in an inaccurate way and educate your readers about the reality of your experience.
Instructions:
You can share some anecdotes (brief personal stories) to illustrate/demonstrate the stereotype.
Or select an advertisement, a TV show, a character or other popular image that portrays the stereotype. Remember to explain why or how the character is a stereotype and why the representation is harmful.
“It is impossible to talk about the single story without talking about power” (Adiche)
Important Points to Remember:
(1) Include a clear thesis to organize your points and discussion.
(2) Use detailed examples to make your points clear for your readers.
(3) Write to inform.
(4) If you reflect on personal experience (can use I = first person point of view)
(6) No you, remember to avoid second person point of view in academic writing.
Please write in third person present tense, he/she/it/one/they/their.
For any research you want to include you must use citations for all your quotations, paraphrases, or summaries of another author’s facts and figures.
Remember in her speech when she says: “The single story creates stereotypes. The problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story.”
Problems you want to avoid:
Using another person’s work without giving them credit (plagiarism).
Presenting a list of facts rather than organizing material into a coherent essay.
Dealing with too many facts rather than limiting the scope of your paper.
Format:
Your paper, appropriately titled, should be between two and three typed pages, double-spaced, in a 12-point font. Please put your name, the title of the course and index number, and the date on the top left-hand corner of the first page.
Your title should be centered on the first page below your name, and you should begin your text one line below your title. Type your name in the upper right-hand corner of each page after the first page, and please number your pages. Please use white paper, and do not use covers.

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