This has been a month of a very specific brand of inspiration, the African & female kind to be precise. So I’ve decided to share the wealth and start a conversation!
It started last month with a Ted Talk by Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie about the misconceptions and dangers that come from a want of diversity in stories. Shortly after this I had an opportunity to meet the Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Nicholas Kristof at a World Affairs Council talk on women in developing nations, part of his and Sheryl Wudunn’s “Half the Sky” movement. I attended the talk with another accomplished activist (and photographer), Phil Borges, who kindly agreed to speak at an event I am organizing this Thursday on the subject of Women Empowered.
At the same time that these events unfolded around me, back at the ranch (Lionbridge) I have had the serendipitous privilege of contributing as my team worked diligently on an initiative that will support Microsoft with its mission to bring the benefits of technology to people worldwide. Through the Unlimited Potential program, which is charged with cultivating their next billion customers, Microsoft is contributing to the preservation of local languages and cultures. Something this Global Misfit can enthusiastically connect with!
In a lovely confluence of themes and worthy causes, last Friday the two accomplished women on our team heading up the collaboration with Microsoft’s Local Language Program (LLP) embarked on a long flight to represent us at the LLP Africa summit (press release). Inspiration is everywhere, including right under my nose!
I can’t help but feel elated to be a part of the increasingly important process of creating the diverse stories of the African experience that are needed in order to contribute to the empowerment of its diverse peoples. Moreover, I am thrilled to be so close to the forefront of the much overdue influx of business capital and creative entrepreneurship that I wholeheartedly believe can (if managed ethically) ultimately make a substantive and sustainable difference where so many generations of global aid have failed. Here are a couple interesting talks by prominent African personalities on the subject:
In the spirit of Chimamanda Adichie’s call for moving away from the single story, I invite you to share your African story. Whether you’ve lived there your whole life or only traveled to Africa as a tourist, I would love to get your insight! In return, I will do my best to represent those stories and hope that you will check back in the next week as I share the experiences of the Lionbridge team in South Africa upon their return.
In the meantime I’ll be here soaking it all up vicariously and dreaming of South Africa!
Here are a few more relevant links that I think are worth a look (and yes, I am an official Ted addict…please no interventions yet!):
