Elizabethtown College Lecture Series - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

New York Times bestselling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reflects on her journey from childhood to adulthood, including the first time she was called a “feminist”—intended as an insult. Through personal stories, she shares lessons on resilience, individuality, and the courage to challenge limiting norms. Ms. Adichie rejects victimhood as a virtue and cautions against rigid ideologies, emphasizing that while we can’t always shape the world to our will, we must still try. Education, she says, equips us with the tools to create change. She urges us to be ourselves, never accept “because you are a woman” as a justification for anything, and to give and receive love freely. Above all, she calls on us to unlearn the gender roles we inherit, recognizing them as cultural constructs rather than reflections of who we truly are.

Our free Lecture Series continues a rich tradition of hosting speakers who provide audiences the opportunity…