The Danger of a Single Story: How Stereotypes are Perpetuated and Shattered
- Marty Martinez (Iowa State University)
Abstract
A single story is a simple and incomplete story about what is “True” for a person or a group, it is a stereotype. Single stories are spread through media, culture, government, families, and friends, and are pervasive. Through a video used in this workshop, Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie shares her own experiences of the dangers of a single story and details exactly who is at risk and what we can do. Participants will also have an opportunity to engage their own story and construct a personal poem reflecting the multiple stories held within a single life (based on George Ella Lyon’s “Where I’m From”). The goal of this interactive and self-reflective workshop is for participants to recognize the single stories in their lives, including ways that single stories may have been told about them, and to build additional skills and awareness around how to access the multiple stories that are often not heard.
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