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Proyecto Visión 21

There is hope, if we overcome our prejudices

Francisco Miraval

For several decades now, I have been involved in multicultural activities and in intercultural communication. In fact, I work at a very diverse environment, interacting every day with people from different countries, ethnicities, languages, and religions. I thought I had overcome many, if not all, of the usual stereotypes and prejudices. Unfortunately, I just discovered I was wrong.

That is the lesson I learned from Molly Culhane. Molly is only 14. I did not talk with her. I just listened to her. Molly was one of the speakers at the Closing Plenary Session on Sunday, April 7, 2013, at the National Conference for Media Reform, in Denver, organized by Free Press (www.freepress.net).

During three days, I attended many workshops at that conference, listing to artists, actors, musicians, educators, researchers, writers, poets, journalists, and experts, who spoke about many topics. For that reason, when Molly came to the stage, I sincerely thought she was out of place.

I also thought there was nothing she could teach me. After all, what could I learn from a young person I do not even know, who comes from a different state, does not speak my native tongue, is not from my generation, does not belong to my community, and probably does not even share my religion?

In other words, I listed in my mind all the good reasons why, at my age and with my knowledge, there was no reason for me to listen to Molly, knowing I would learn nothing from her.

I must confess I was wrong and I am ashamed to say that I did allow my prejudices to blur my thinking. That is, I allowed prejudices and stereotypes to guide me, precisely what I am always tried to avoid.

Molly is one of the New Moon Girls (www.newmoon.com), an organization that promotes artistic creativity and quality education for girls ages 8-12 in the context of a safe, ad-free web site. However, Molly did not speak about her organization, except in passing. She did not share any tragic story. She did not dance, sing, or act. She just spoke about media. And she did it really well.

Her presence on the stage, her calm attitude in spite of speaking to hundreds of adults (who were probably thinking many of the same things I thought), her knowledge of how certain laws have impacted the media; and her insights about how the media sexualize and dehumanize girls were simple amazing.

However, it was “amazing” only because we accepted a distorted reality where what it should be normal –and it many cases, it is–, like a female teenager being articulated and convincing expressing her ideas, it is now such a novelty that it becomes a surprise. In other words, we all expected a “little princess,” or something even worst, not a thinking and knowledgeable young person.

I always complain when I get confused with the janitor, and not with a philosophy professor. But I just discovered I still use stereotypes and prejudices. Ouch!

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