Yes! It’s how we grow.

When I was younger, I would only write what I knew about myself. I thought that because I am white, I could only write from that perspective for humans in my stories.

Later on, I became friends with others from varying countries, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It inspired me. I took the time to ask them questions about their upbringings and how it differed from mine. When I write, I spend the time researching more in detail about a character's culture to try to avoid falling into stereotypes. Having someone from that race or culture read that character can help to determine if the character sounds authentic. This is what I plan to do with one story I'm writing.