Before I came on the Race, if you had asked me about Ukraine, I would have told you that from my perspective, Ukraine was synonymous to war and political unrest. That was my single story about Ukraine.
I could not articulate to you the beauty and hospitality of the Ukrainian people. The kindness of our host family and their joy and laughter wasn’t a reality I had experienced.
No, I would have painted you a story of a broken system. As Adichie states in the video below:
“The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete.”
I’m reminded of the unrest and tension currently in the States. My heart has broken, and I’ve repeatedly seen how peoples’ belief in a single story has left our nation angry and full of distrust.
During my lifetime, I have heard numerous comments about Africa that only reflect a single story. I have also encountered a single story around the world about America. The problem is that we take a single story about a people group, a community, or a country, and we make it the only story about them.
What Chimamanda Adichie communicates in this video is a worthy reminder, especially in the current time. I have listened to it many times because she clearly articulates the danger of a single story.
Please listen, and examine what single stories you have believed.
