Chimamanda Adichie

Chimamanda Adichie’s speeches focus on the threat of subconsciously instilled views and the dangers of the single story. Born in Nigeria, Adichie is currently a teacher and author who focuses on African literature. After briefly studying medicine at the University of Nigeria, she moved to the United States where she transferred to many universities and finally graduated from with her bachelor’s degree from the Eastern Connecticut State University. In 2003, she earned her Master’s degree in Creative Writing at John Hopkins University and in 2008, her Master of Arts in African Literature at Yale University.

Born into a middle class family, Adichie and her family employed maids and servants, as was the norm back then. Without question, she accepted what her parents told her, which eventually became her notion of the single story. She was an avid reader when she was a child. While growing up in Nigeria, she had access to American and British literature and became fascinated with what the books portrayed. These thoughts dominated her imagination until she eventually came into contact with African literature where she was amazed that girls “with skin the color of chocolate” could exist in these books. These thoughts subsequently influenced her to become the storyteller that she is today.

The Farafina Trust, a non-profit organization led by Adichie, was established to “promote reading, writing, and a culture of social introspection and engagement through the literary arts.” She currently teaches writing workshops in Nigeria and moves between her native country and America. Chimamanda Adichie’s speeches are insightful and discuss a very important issue.