Most of the world sees Africa in media images of starving children, war, and exotic wildlife, so it may come as news to some that Africa has high fashion, beautiful architecture, vibrant universities, and strong woman leaders.
Frustrated by the constant images of poverty and disaster, a new Twitter movement started by young Africans shows that the continent is much more diverse and complicated than the mainstream media’s portrayal. The hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou has been tweeted by more than 45,000 in the past month.
Diana Salah (@lunarnomad), a 22-year-old Somali-American student living in Seattle, helped to start the social media campaign, she told Fusion: “I got involved because growing up I was made to feel ashamed of my homeland, with negative images that paint Africa as a desolate continent.”
Check out some of the latest tweets: