Chimamanda uses several
episodes from her own life's story to deliver her powerful message.
From the start or “secondly”
as described by Chimamanda, she told her story not from the perspective of
impoverishment or destitute, but from a position of how it defined who she is
as a person.
Telling the Right Story:
Sparking
action – She discusses how her early reading were British and American
children’s books. And that that was all she knew, so, her illustrations and
stories were all about Caucasian, blue eyed children who played in the snow,
ate apples and drank ginger beer. But later in life her travels proved
otherwise and she even succumbed to her own stereotypes while traveling abroad
in America and Mexico.
Communicating
who you are – The above has demonstrated exactly how impressionable and
vulnerable we may become as a result of only hearing one side of the story or a
singular version.
Transmitting
values – Much like Chimamanda describes the unintended consequences of
believing that people of color like her could not be in books. Her discovery of
African literature sparked the notion that the single story is inaccurate.
While
in the Air Force flying in and out of Africa. I would have the occasion to work
with Africans of various regions. When they found out I was from the Chicago
area, the immediate question would be… did I know Al Capone? Again, the single
story works both ways.
Communicating
whom the firm is… branding - Chimamanda describes how she fell to the notion of
the single story while in America and Mexico, looking at the volatile
immigration issue as a single story. She succumbed to the idea that the
immigration problems are strictly synonymous with Mexicans fleecing the U.S.
health care system, sneaking across the border and getting arrested.
Of
course she is accurate in her analysis… she left out terrorists, drug, arms and
human traffickers using the Mexican border as a freeway. Her guilt in this case
is unfounded.
Fostering
collaboration - Chimamanda
describes her time in Guadalajara simply watching people going about their
daily business of working, cooking, smoking and laughing much like her
militarily repressive government of Nigeria. The people of Guadalajara also
show an impressive resilience that has thrived despite government and not
because of it.
Taming
the grapevine – Chimamanda is a very proud and noble individual who is not
taking herself too seriously that she cannot enjoy a bit of laughter at her
expense. Like showing her roommate her collection of “tribal music” that in
reality was a Mariah Carey collection. Or about her flight on Virgin Air and
Africa being referred to as a country, along with India and other countries.
Sharing
knowledge – Her methodology of describing how a student believed all Nigerian
men were physical abusers. And how she enlightened the student referring to a
book she had recently completed called “American Psycho” depicting young
Americans as serial killers. This apparently changed more than a few minds and
outlook on differing countries in comparison to the US as example.
Leading
people into the future - Chimamanda discusses her joint-venture with her
Nigerian published called “Farafina Trust” a vision of building libraries and
refurbishing existing libraries and providing state schools with books. She
also discusses how books and stories can be utilized toward dispossess or
maligning… they can also be utilized to empower, humanize and repair a broken
dignity.
Telling the Story Right:
Style – Chimamanda does her
self and her story justice through her direct yet sincere, plain and simple
style. The audience could put themselves in her shoes and see their own
mortality through her eyes. She used no props except her delivery, tone and
inflection of her voice.
Truth – everything
Chimamanda presented could be verified or is common knowledge, which has been
acknowledged through various avenues.
Preparation – She was
extremely well prepared to tell of her plight and learning experiences of her
native land and her adopted one, including visitations of different countries
that share the same or similar plights. She was somewhat spontaneous and
chooses well the shape of her story and it was apparent she did not wander too
far from the itinerary.
Delivery - Although she did
remain behind the podium, Chimamanda was instrumental in her gestures, and her
lively manner in-which she connected with her audience. She was extremely comfortable and relaxed
during her delivery, taking occasional moments of humor in her story telling.
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