Title: Overcoming Racial Stereotypes // University Counseling Center // University of Notre Dame
Headings: Overcoming Racial Stereotypes
Overcoming Racial Stereotypes
What Are Racial Stereotypes?
How Do We Develop Racial Stereotypes?
Are Our Racial Stereotypes Harmful?
How Do We Overcome Our Racial Stereotypes?

Content: For those individuals who have power, this can lead to their engaging in discriminatory and racist practices. How Do We Overcome Our Racial Stereotypes? Because of their harmful effects, we should make a real commitment to try to overcome our racial stereotypes. This can be achieved by first acknowledging that we’re human and that we do harbor racial stereotypes. Next, we should work to become more aware of our inner thoughts and feelings and how they affect our beliefs and actions. When we have a stereotypical thought about a racial group, we should follow it up with an alternative thought based on factual information that discounts the stereotype. We can obtain this factual information by leaving our comfort zones and exposing ourselves to people of different races. We should be willing to engage in honest dialogue with others about race that at times might be difficult, risky, and uncomfortable. We should also seek out media portrayals of different races that are realistic and positive. Attending churches, plays, concerts, and movies that celebrate diversity will also broaden our worldview.