I found Chimanda Adichie's presentation very interesting. What resonated most was her assertion that a single story is not untrue, however, it is incomplete. Starting as a young child, she was introduced to stories and pictures that only contained white people and a completely different climate from what she was used to. This limited exposure can lead to children feeling more different than similar. In addition, her college roommate felt sorry for her because she had limited, one-story information about Nigeria. A single story creates assumptions and stereotypes that can strip people of dignity and promote differences instead of similarities. There should always be a balance of stories representing a person’s culture and background. Young people are very impressionable and vulnerable. They deserve to be taught a variation of stories that allow them to see the “big picture” which will help them better understand a person’s culture which can help bring all people together and promote inclusion.
