At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a di...

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future?

In South Africa, there is an increasing rate of unwanted pregnancy and high school dropouts within the black community. As a Nigerian, this is unusual to me as having a child out of wedlock is highly frowned upon in my culture. I had already formed my own narrative about these people because I did not understand their circumstances. I sought to discover the root of these issues. I was dismayed by the sheer lack of accountability from both the mother and father of these newborns. These factors have resulted in South Africa’s high unemployment rates. My classmates explained to me that this behavior has been normalized within many underprivileged communities. These individuals are merely products of their environment. Hearing this perspective altered my initial thoughts on this issue. I learned that South Africa’s Apartheid-era continues to play a role in the current social structures in black communities. I gained insight into the lives of the marginalized black people of South Africa. My classmates explained that the lack of education in these communities drives irresponsible decision-making. Young women are not empowered to seek a better future for themselves. Instead, they are forced to believe that they will remain in the cycle of poverty. Hence, they have no ambitions and end up falling pregnant at a young age. I was grateful to have had such an enriching conversation on this topic as it has informed me about the socio-economic issues that hinder these people’s success. I learned not to judge others without understanding their circumstances. Since I have the privilege of receiving an education, I should not judge those who have not been afforded that opportunity. In the future, I intend to be more attentive and open-minded. This will enable me to have fruitful discussions which will yield solutions. I will use the knowledge that I have gained to uplift women in underprivileged communities. Providing these women with education will allow them to reach their full potential. I hope to create safe spaces for women and girls to learn that they have a great purpose in the world to fulfill.