Dangers of a Single Story
Students, faculty, and staff gathered yesterday for an all-school discussion about inclusion at Groton, focusing on the false presumptions that we often make when we don't know each others' full stories.
The program began with author Chimamanda Adichie's TED talk, "The Danger of a Single Story." Adichie spoke of untrue assumptions about her native Nigeria, cultural biases, and myths that take root when a shaky foundation is built on stereotypes. She made viewers wonder—when we judge a person, a country, or an ethnicity, do we know the full story, or just a single story?
After the TED talk, community members split into small groups and discussed their own stories, relating little-known facts that surprised their peers, sharing times when they were victims of untrue assumptions, and describing moments when they discovered that their own preconceived notions about a person were false.
The activity, sponsored by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, supports Headmaster Temba Maqubela's theme of inclusion for the year, and his oft-stated point that diversity is just the first chapter of inclusion.
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After the TED talk, community members split into small groups and discussed their own stories, relating little-known facts that surprised their peers, sharing times when they were victims of untrue assumptions, and describing moments when they discovered that their own preconceived notions about a person were false.
The activity, sponsored by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, supports Headmaster Temba Maqubela's theme of inclusion for the year, and his oft-stated point that diversity is just the first chapter of inclusion.
Groton School Mission: To inspire lives of character, scholarship, leadership, and service within a diverse, inclusive, and close-knit community.
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