While scrolling through my Facebook News Feed the other night (a pastime I’m sure many of us are privy to) I happened across a post which linked to a TED Talk that beautifully illuminates how people, especially those who find themselves in the wake of adversity, possess the power to change the world simply through telling their stories. What I learned inspired me to write this post, as it pertains to many of the topics we will be discussing throughout the year. The talk in its entirety is truly enlightening, and I implore everyone to watch it here.

Reflecting back on our first week of lectures at UBC, I can’t help but notice how often the role of the individual in society—both locally and globally—is stressed in a variety of academic faculties. On a personal level, It’s also common to examine what our place in the world and our communities is, and ask ourselves whether we can really make a difference within them.

Sharing individual stories—through a published memoir, spoken word, Facebook status or even scribbled on a bathroom wall—not only documents history, but shapes it. The contribution of personal narratives can be an integral step towards affecting positive social change. When we make our experiences known, a constructive dialogue can emerge in result.

In his TED Talk “How the worst moments of our lives make us who we are,” Dr. Andrew Solomon equates one’s stories to being the “foundation for identity,” and claims that “forging meaning [from adversity] is about changing yourself, but building identity is about changing the world.” Solomon’s story recounts his experiences growing up as a gay male in the United States, highlighting the ridicule and even hate he was subjected to because of his sexual orientation. Now happily married with children, Solomon’s life paints a narrative of resilience and perseverance through the face of injustice, and sheds light on the  inexplicable joy one can find after overcoming it.  

When one assumes an identity, they embody something much larger than themselves. By telling their story through the context of this identity, stories of individual strife can give voice to the larger issues they encompass, and can collectively work towards changing our cultural and political climate surrounding those issues–as Solomon’s might do for the Gay Rights Movement. This isn’t to say that voicing injustices will automatically fix a problem, but instead help create an environment in which that problem is relevant to a grander audience. 

I find the topic of adversity to be as engaging as it is disheartening, for suffering is something that most people can, to some end, find common ground. It is simply an unavoidable part of the human experience.

“Empathy is more powerful than hate, and our lives should be dedicated to making it go viral.”

Yet another Facebook find, this except from The Terrorist’s Son by Zak Ebrahim helps reiterate the idea that compassion is more influential then we realize. Share your story, learn from others’, and work together to reimagine the world.

As I reflect on how adversity has played a part in shaping who I am, I can’t help but wonder what would come out of sharing my story.

 What would come out of you sharing yours?