"When people rely on surface appearances and false racial stereotypes, rather than in-depth knowledge of others at the level of the heart, mind and spirit, their ability to assess and understand people accurately is compromised." -- James A. Forbes

"No one is born believing in harmful stereotypes. They are learned over time. The good news is they can be unlearned." -- Kevin Faulconer

Stereotyping is not just about race. It extends across gender, culture, religious beliefs, age, physical abilities and mental health. In others words, it is spiritual, emotional, social, physical and philosophical. And it can be both negative and positive. Either way, it is something of which we should all be aware and avoid. Stephanie Beatriz said it best:

"When you label somebody and put them in a box, then you put the lid on the box, and you just never look inside again. I think it's much more interesting for human beings to look at each other's stories and see each other. Really see each other and then see themselves through other people's stories. That's where you start to break down stereotypes."