Recently, I’ve found myself on the website I Waste So Much Time, understandably, wasting so much time. Where I expected cat .gifs and other methods of procatination, I found this amazing post that turned out to be in no way a waste of time.
I was drawn in immediately just by the macro – I saw something important in this clip. The entire speech from which these screengrabs are drawn is a TedxTalk called “Why We Should All Be Feminists,” by Nigerian author and educator Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Adichie’s infectious spirit while talking about the dispiriting state of gender roles made me laugh and giggle as I learned about tradition and patriarchy in her native Nigeria. While aspects of Nigerian culture may seem far-removed from life in America, her points are nearly universal. Are you as intrigued as I was? Check out the video below. It’s thirty minutes long, but I promise you the time will fly by!
Adichie grew up in Nigeria, where she began her inspirational educational journey. She studied medicine at University of Nigeria, communication and political science at Eastern Connecticut State University, completed a master’s degree in Creative Writing at Johns Hopkins University and an MA in African Studies at Yale University. Her novels includePurple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), and a collection of short stories entitled, The Thing Around Your Neck (2009). She’s won too many awards to list here, and is pretty much my new hero.
Does this video speak to you? Post some of your favorite TEDTalks in the comments below and continue Adichie’s conversation.
Thanks to The Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Website
Photos via Iwastesomuchtime.com and YouTube
