As told by Adichie, a single story is definitely a very dangerous thing. She stated, "So that is how to create a single story, show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become." It's disheartening to think about the fact that many Americans still have a single story about Africa and a variety of other places and things, Haiti for example, in 2024.
Many media platforms in America show Africa as a poor country with poor inhabitants. Growing up I remember hearing things like "African booty scratcher" and other xenophobic terms used to describe the people that were "clearly" African. Being only 25% Nigerian it was easy for me to avoid telling people I was such. I felt the need to hide a piece of my identity to circumvent judgment. Some people didn't have the ability to do this because people knew or assumed they were African due to what they ate, how they talked, what they wore, etc. Looking back I wish I fought against the single story and the remarks rather than shying away.
I've been assigned Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie‘s TED talk “The Danger of a Single Story" three times now. First I watched it in my Individuals and Societies class in 7th grade, next I watched it in my history class during my sophomore year of high school, and I recently watched it for my African Diaspora class as a freshman in college. The first time was the most impactful for me. I mainly witnessed the xenophobic comments in elementary school but also a little bit in middle school. At that point, I even had a little bit of a single story on Africa but the video opened my eyes. I didn't have it to the extent that others such as Adichie's roommate had it but I did see Africa as poor and I never considered the idea that some people in Africa could be living a life somewhat similar to mine. The video made me realize this and I instantly felt guilty because of my ignorance. From that point on I vowed to make a constant effort to avoid succumbing to single stories by educating myself using multiple reliable sources. Adichie's message resonated with me throughout my academic journey and her call to action empowered me to challenge some of these limiting narratives.
The single story will always get us in trouble. To be told a lie over and over again is horrible and to only give one perspective is dangerous as well. We have to get out and dig deep in order to get the whole story. Exposure is important as well; this allows one to go out and discover the total view for themselves. Let's keep an open mind and continue to do our own research and tell our own stories!
Hey Iyana,
A single story is a dangerous thing, especially if you dont know who you are. That single story could become who you are. That is scary to think about, right? It is unfair that you had to hide a part of yourself just because of the stereotyping you would have faced. We have to do something to change this narrative. We have to educate ourselves and others going forward.