Quick, name 3 Asian characters in movies you’ve seen in the last year. Let me guess. It’s the martial arts master, the evil mafia boss, and… the sterile, geeky office worker.
What about African characters? How about these two: the nameless, naked tribal leader with a spear or the evil military warlord dictator (who’s usually training child soldiers).
As a Chinese-American living in Kenya, I’ve come to really appreciate this:
The problem with stereotypes is not that that they are untrue, but that there are incomplete
-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Adichie, in this memorable TED talk, talks about the danger of a single story.
When I go to the famous Mara in Kenya, the Kenyan resort workers enthusiastically say hello to me in Chinese. For fun sometimes, I’ll say, “hey, what up, bro?” And they’ll respond in surprise, “Wow, your english is really good!”
“Well, I hope it is since I’m American.”
I also had stereotypes about Kenyans when I first came. I thought I was being quite culturally aware, knowing that Kenyans of the Kalenjin tribe were all excellent runners. Just like all Chinese people know kung-fu, right? Or all Americans are loud and blunt?
After 18 months here in Kenya, I’ve started to realize how incomplete my understanding is. How can it be that one of my best friends here is a Kenyan spinach farmer who’s also a single dad? How could it be that a room full of Kenyan female coders are working on some of the coolest tech in Africa? Or a wood carver in my village can teach me about design?
Which is why I’m so excited to be part of the Rununu movement.
I can’t help but wonder if maybe one of the most powerful, most positive things we can do today is to shatter the single story stereotypes that exist — in the world and in ourselves. To learn the real story of the people around us.
Almost everything I’ve watched on Rununu has helped me see more clearly – the colorful and vibrant Kenyan community I live in, and the beautiful kaleidoscope of a world we are a part of.
Go watch some of these short videos on Rununu!
Download the Rununu App from the Google Play store or the Apple App store (available 30 Jan), or register for free at rununu.tv
photo credit: thisisafrica.me