I first heard about the 56 black men project through a podcast by the resource group’s Jonathan.
In the podcast Jonathan talks about archetypes and stereotypes, defining them very carefully.
Archetypes & Stereotypes are similar but not the same
“I find when people think of positive stereotypes, they are more likely to use the word archetype”
Humans find Archetypes And Stereotypes Useful
“Stereotypes are great examples of heuristics or mental shortcuts that we use to help us negotiate our day-to-day lives.”
Archetypes & Stereotypes Can and Should Evolve
“existing archetypes and stereotypes have led to the world we live in now, new archetypes and stereotypes could lead us to a new world”
This all leads nicely in to his role taking part in the 56 black men project.
Reading through the twitter feed and hashtag, there’s some really interesting comments from others. I personally have avoided wearing hoods slightly because of the stereotype and I don’t find them that comfortable to wear. I like seeing around me (being aware of my surroundings is important for me).
I’m super aware of my presence on people around me, especially females. Its been drummed into me from a very early age mainly media like films and tv. Anything to help change this stereotype especially around black males, is very welcomed!