I am Campaign

I am Alone, I am (not) Lonely.
I am a Geek, I am Cool
I am Asian, I am (not) naturally smart at math.

So many I ams, so many stereotype-breaking statements that make me think that stereotypes are so irrelevant to real life. All this just at UBC! The more of these that I read, the more I realize what a diverse environment UBC really is.

This week was UBC THRIVE 2010, a week-long series of events to promote healthier (mental and physical) living among UBC students, faculty and staff. Equity Ambassadors participated in this event with our “I Am” campaign which aimed to celebrate the diversity on campus, as well as to breakdown stereotypes about race, gender, (dis)ability, sexual orientation and other types of self identification. Participants were asked to write down a true statement of self identification and a stereotype associated with the first statement (that they did not believe described them).

It’s 2010 and yet it is so common to hear silly stereotypes such as “Oh, he’s Asian. He’s clearly naturally smart at math.” Well, this student seems to disagree:

If you look within yourself you will find that you, the complex being that you are, are full of contradictions that constantly challenge the stereotypes created by our social environment. The I Am campaign aims to reveal this by writing down these seemingly contradictory statements. When it comes down to it, stereotypes contradict reality.

Besides breaking-down stereotypes, writing an I Am is a very personal process. Even if you never show it to anyone, creating an I Am can be a very liberating experience. In essence, it’s a declaration of You. Celebrate yourself and all your complexities because you are not a stereotype. Knowing this can do wonders for your mental health.

If you are interested in seeing more, stop by our board outside the Access and Diversity Office in Brock Hall.