Social Identity (C.E.)

My African ethnicity has become an enormous part of my identity over the past few years, especially since coming to Cornell. On campus, I find that there are many events and groups of African students that I can go to and be myself and discuss my heritage freely. The ability to do this has allowed me to find a safe space on campus with other students, an important part of being able to truly live out my identity as a Nigerian. Because my skin tone resembles that of the locals, this aspect of my identity will not be very apparent in Zambia, which may be seen as an advantage as I may not be asked questions about where I am from.
My youth is another aspect of my identity that has proven to be very influential in shaping the experiences in my life. Although at times, I believe my youthfulness can be seen as a disadvantage in certain situations, more often than not, my identity as a young adult allows for my voice to be heard by not just my peers on this campus but also by older generations who may not have the same views as I do. For that reason, I have sought out opportunities both on and off campus that allow for the mutual exchange of knowledge across generations. Additionally, my identity as a young adult allows me to be adventurous and curious of the world around me, pushing me to try new activities and learn about new things. I believe that this aspect of my identity will allow me to be an active learner while in Zambia, giving me the opportunity to fully immerse myself in this new culture and learn about how other people around the world view life. Overall, this aspect of my identity gives me the power to absorb information about this new culture and share about this culture and my personal experience in the country with my peers at Cornell, helping to dissolve the single story of Africa.