I feel like I can genuinely relate to Chimamanda Adichie’s Ted Talk. As she went on to tell the story of her roommate and how she assumed certain things about Ms. Adichie and felt sorry for her based on the fact that she was from Africa, I started thinking of instances of my own where people assumed things about me because of the way I looked, dressed, or presented myself. As an example, lots of people think I am Pilipino, Thai, or Hawaiian because I share similar features with people who identify with being these ethnicities. But, in reality, I am actually none of these ethnicities—I am mixed race. Another instance where people have categorized me into a single story is when they assume my parents are not divorced or that I was raised by both my mother and father when I was actually only raised by my father.
Assigning single stories to people is very risky because it creates stereotypes which are untrue and incomplete. Like Adichie says, “They can often make one story become the only story.” It is essential to seek diverse perspectives and writers must focus on telling stories about their own life experiences. This is the best way to break down certain stereotypes and clichés.