I was recently inspired by a blog written by author D.A. Reed titled “A Single Story,” and with her permission am sharing with my readers:
A Single Story
By D.A. Reed
I urge you to listen to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk. Aside from being completely charmed by her accent, I was drawn into her experiences as a Nigerian woman living in the United States. How—more often than not—people made assumptions about her—and all Nigerian people—because of one thing they had seen or heard on the news or via social media. And I began to think…
This is a huge part of what is causing unrest in our country today.
We look at the color of a person’s skin, the uniform they wear, the headline blaring from a Facebook post…and we don’t look any further. We assume, we come to conclusions while only knowing a fraction of the story.
Chimamanda made several comments that resonated in my heart and soul, and I hope I never forget them:
“Single stories create stereotypes. Stereotypes are not a complete story, and that is what makes them dangerous. Single stories emphasize how we are different rather than how we are similar. There is never a single story about any place or person.”
Wow.
How often do we presume to know everything about an issue or a person when we have only bothered to look at one side of the coin (so to speak)? I urge you, friends, to look beyond the first glance. Choose to take that extra time. You will be richer for it—and so will all those around you.
You can learn more about D.A. Reed at https://dareedauthor.com/.