If there was ever a time when we needed motivation and inspiration, it’s right now. In a world that we find increasingly difficult to recognise, it’s very easy to feel confused, anxious and unmotivated. While feelings like these are completely normal and in fact, very common, no one has to stay stuck in that mindset.
One of the best platforms of self-expression created in our Internet Age is the TEDTalk – a channel which features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading critical thinkers, influencers and shapers give “the talk of their lives”. It’s unsurprising that some of the best of those talks are delivered by smart, successful African women.
Enjoy our selection of the top-recommended lectures of all time:
1. The Danger of a Single Story – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Watched nearly 6.4 million times by people all over the world, this is one of the most highly-regarded TEDTalks of all time. Author and activist, Chimamanda shares how she found her authentic voice as an African and warns of the risk of critical misunderstanding of others’ cultures if we only pay attention to a single side of the story.
2. Change Your Channel – Mallence Bart-Williams
Sierra Leonean-German writer, filmmaker and fashion designer, Mallence Bart-Williams discusses the exploitation of Africa’s natural resources by colonisers and its lingering effects on both the continent and how it’s being perceived around the world.
3. To Change the World, Change Your Illusions – Minna Salami
In this powerful talk, Minna Salami, a speaker and advocate, shares images of women from around the world, highlighting how out of touch the stereotypes are from reality, using examples of women in her own life.
4. Time to Step Up – Caroline Makuto
Powerful Kenyan radio personality, Caroline Makuto leads this important discussion on the need to include men in the feminist conversation, highlighting that this generation of African women are the daughters of the UN conference in Beijing held in 1995.
5. African Proverbs are My Life Hack – Mulenga Kapwepwe
Using a number of African proverbs as examples, Zambian author and chairperson of the National Arts Council, Mulenga Kapwepwe outlines and explores in this light-hearted but insightful talk, and how the collective wisdom of African proverbs has helped her hack the complexities of life and living.
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