A San Diego native who came to Wisconsin nearly 12 years ago, Stephanie Díaz de León has been an event planner at the Wisconsin Union for nine years. In that capacity she helps Union members, campus departments, student organizations, nonprofits, athletic teams and other members of the community plan and execute everything from a weekly meeting to a gameday tailgate to major donor appreciation event to a massive banquet. She was also involved in planning the grand opening of the new Union South in 2011. Stephanie also serves on the UW’s Equity and Diversity Committee.
Rank your Top 5 MCs (rappers) There is some internal conflict with this because I read The Rap Battle this summer and it brought back some great MCs I’ve neglected. Here is my list as of now, but it will probably change tomorrow.
- 2Pac
- Kendrick Lamar
- Andre3000 (thank you to Frank Ocean for reminding me of his greatness in Blond).
- Lauryn Hill
- MC Lyte
Honorable mentions include: Nas, Ghostaface Killah, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog Lupe Fiasco, Missy Elliot, Mos Def, JayZ, Kanye, Salt N’ Peppa
Which motivates you more: doubters or supporters? I have to say the doubters tend to motivate me more. Anyone with lowered expectations of my ability or just those who doubt me seem to fuel my need to push through and come out stronger. When they lower that threshold, I just raise it higher than they can reach and get it.
What does it mean to be a Latina in Mt. Horeb Probably the same as it means to be Latina in Madison. It’s about changing expectations and first impressions. It’s also about exposing assumptions for what they are for us – one dimensional and often limited in their definitions as they would be for anyone. We are not just an election cycle or a struggle. We are full fledged members of your community – we are voters, we are taxpayers, we are business owners and we are patrons. We are students, we are teachers, we are art, we are food, we are part of history, we are part of the present and we have place here in the future – food trucks and all.
What three leaders in Madison under 50 have impressed you the most? Sabrina Madison is great and quite positively motivating at the moment. I also respect Erica Nelson and her work with Race to Equity. I’m also going to say Henry Sanders here, as much as he would rather I didn’t, for bringing Madison365 to the community, to people of color who only see themselves in viral videos, news bytes or political commentary. It’s never a story of and, but of only – only our struggle, or only our race, or only our family. In the mainstream media, your race is not your defining characteristic, it’s your only characteristic. Again, we are full fledged members of a community – multi-dimensional that go beyond just our race, just our struggles, and just our past. It’s nice to see Madison365 try to tell that story and tell it with people of color and not on their behalf.
What’s the biggest stumbling block in Madison to turning the corner on our racial disparities? Right now, I see this need within Madison (within our media, our government, university, etc) to speak for people of color and tell them what they need instead of actually listening. At times, when someone is listening, it’s really to wait for that moment of pause the other person takes so you can jump in and get a point across, instead of actually listening and reflecting what is said. It’s hard – it’s hard to hear that your community, or your work place, where you’re raising your children and where you even grew up, has work to do. That I, myself, may have work to do. It’s hard not to be defensive, but it’s important take a step back, and utter that question like you really want honesty from the person you’re asking, rather than having someone reflect back the answer you want to hear.
There’s also this notion of either/or and nothing in between. Life is not always lived in the black and white, but in the grey if you can forgive the sentiment. You can be supportive of BlackLivesMatter and believe that not every cop is a racist. I can still think the Chargers are the best football team (no matter how delusional you want to call me) and still support the Packers (except when they’re playing each other, of course).
What are your top three priorities at this point in your life?Family, self improvement, and community.
When you came from San Diego to Madison how did you adjust to your first winter? I did ok – not perfectly on the road at first. I wasn’t not going to drive my first winter here and depend on someone else because of fear so I may have taken a few turns a little fast, but I adapted quickly. At that time, my husband had a pickup truck and buying 100 pounds of kitty litter to put in the back confused me. And hearing words like “black ice” concerned me, too.
You have a very diverse family. Two interracial children, a black son, and a white daughter. How do you discuss race with your kids? By always being honest; it’s the very least I can do so they’re prepared. I teach them history – to show how far we’ve come, and I teach them about where we are, how well we’re doing and where we still need to go. The world is not always fair and it’s not always right, but you do what you can to make it fair and right, for yourself , for those around you, and for those who come after. I expect them to be better people than I was – I want that for them. Not to just have a better life than I did or live in a better world, I want that for them as well, but to also just be better than I was – more kind and patient, more empathetic and to give back to the world better than I have.
Name 3 things required to keep a healthy marriage? Honesty – always being honest about who you are and how you’re feeling is important. It’ll save you from resentment.
Understanding – understanding that as much you both want it to be, marriage is not always 50/50. Sometimes, 80/20, 70/30, maybe 25/75, depending on what’s going on. Understanding that and understanding that its a moment in a time or it should be, at least. Understanding that when you take, you have to give back and vice versa.
Respect – respect of each other’s feelings, opinions, wants, needs, career, of each other’s time. A genuine respect of your partner not just because it’s partner, but of the person as a whole is important.
When you were a teenager what famous person did you have a crush on and why? Peter O’toole in Lawrence of Arabia when I was about 13 years old. I blame my sister and her love of old movies, but those blue eyes killed it for me. I also read Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence, whom O’toole portrays in the film, so I’m sure that was part of it as well.
Coffee or Tea? Coffee in the morning, usually iced, and herbal tea before I go to bed.
Give us 3 words that best describe your husband? I’ll be honest and say I’m a bit bothered that we have to end this by tying me to my husband rather than myself. I’ll answer the question, of course, but with words describing him in relation to why he’s the best for me and not just who he is to his children/family/friends.
- Confident: I am not someone who was looking or wanting a person to complete me, to define me or even be a reflection of me or I of that person. I can be my own hero, and my own villain quite frankly, and I don’t need someone else to be those for me nor am I willing to be that for you. I also won’t fade in the back and be perfectly content in your assigned worth of me – I will work for my worth and will do what I need to have a fulfilling life and expect you will do the same for yourself. Again, it does not mean that I don’t appreciate some moral support or that I won’t offer that if necessary, but I don’t expect you to save me from myself. For him not to be threatened by that, not even a little, is someone pretty confident.
- Strong: I am also not a partner who will blindly support you. I’m the person who questions you, questions what your intent is, what you’re thinking. And I am willing to argue and call you out if needed. We’ve been together for a while and I haven’t let up yet and won’t anytime soon. You have to be a strong person to always be challenged and look forward to it.
- Mindful: One thing that was attractive to me about him has always been how very mindful he is about what he knows and doesn’t know. He doesn’t pretend or front like he has answers to everything. He is very self-aware about what he doesn’t know and isn’t afraid to come out and say it. Most importantly, he is mindful of what privilege he has and the responsibility that comes with it; as a husband, as a father of children of color, as of a father of daughters, and as a member of his community.
