Africa Twitter Campaign Shatters Stereotypes, Let's People Tell Their Own Stories

[HuffingtonPost]

When Africa is featured in the news, the coverage all too often consists of solely negative images. Content focused on starving children, humanitarian crises, poverty and illness leaves little room for a broader picture of the continent's more than 50 different countries.

In an effort to change that, Africa's diverse nations have taken to Twitter en masse to share images -- ranging from food to fashion to architecture and landscapes. Their photos, posted under the hashtag #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou, aim to disrupt the standard stereotypes the public has come to know.

One of the hashtag's early supporters, Diana Salah (@lunarnomad), explained to Fusion that she got involved with the Twitter campaign "because growing up I was made to feel ashamed of my homeland, with negative images that paint Africa as a desolate continent." The Seattle-based Somali-American student called the response "amazing."

As TakePart pointed out, the campaign is a powerful tool in pushing back against countries and cultures in the region being defined solely by their struggles, rather than their traditions, innovations and day-to-day life.

These are just a few of the many, many images being shared to Twitter (and a few on Instagram) as a part of #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou:

african street style #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/UlfRkFdkCh

— blige romanova (@THECAROLDANVERS) June 24, 2015

Luanda, Angola #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/BNQBjXJLvG

— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015

Diversity in West Africa! Igbo, Yoruba, Tuareg, Fulani #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/c8JXkpuOur

— I Am THE CULTURE (@Toussaint215) June 23, 2015

   A young boy smiles as he rides his bike in Mogadishu, #Somalia. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou  One day, enroute to an assignment, we walked through #Moq and we happened upon a street where kids were paying, can't remember how much, to ride bikes. It was such an awesome sight seeing children enjoying themselves and having fun. Hoped to go back and do a more extensive story on them but never got the chance. The story would have been one of showing that even in the worst of situations, we can always afford to step back relax, have fun and smile.  #TBT #Nikon #NoFilter #Africa #IgAfrica #VSCO #TeamNikon #DocumentaryPhotography #Photojournalism

A photo posted by David Mutua (@david_mutua) on Jul 2, 2015 at 5:06am PDT

Africa has 3 female heads of state.

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/oH4AYRRV3w

— Nad!a A. (@Nadiaalie) June 24, 2015

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Rwanda : The land of a Thousand hills pic.twitter.com/jIWN8DNFxr

— Ellis B. (@Ellisbht) June 24, 2015

#KCA #VoteJKT48ID BadassAfricanne: "Africans eat bugs" #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/PcuWxhbYKD

— A. Handy As (@Ar_Handy) June 23, 2015

the Amazing pink lake in senegal #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/A2BDghfbMc

— K.Diallo (@nyeusi_waasi) June 24, 2015

Abuja, Nigeria #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/Uj6UjeTPaB

— نعيمة (@66nimo) June 23, 2015

   kinshasa #karma

A photo posted by @hugobembi on Jun 30, 2015 at 1:47am PDT

The Berber ethnic group of North Africa

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/O5cNeyfHfw

— ForgottenBeauty (@forgottenFINES) June 23, 2015

   "Travel far enough, you meet yourself." David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas Memories from #Africa #addisababa #ethiopia  ✈️ #wanderlust #memories #travel #trips #photography #photooftheday #placestoseebeforeyoudie #placesyoumustsee #gypsysoul #travelmore #worryless #wordsofwisdom #wordstoliveby #travelpics #travelblogger #seetheworld #globetrotting

A photo posted by Sasha (@sashasylvie) on Jun 29, 2015 at 7:01pm PDT

Ifrane, Morocco #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/yWsjfbkkzD

— ForgottenBeauty (@forgottenFINES) June 23, 2015

African Weddings #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/EdpDnMV2Y4

— I Am THE CULTURE (@Toussaint215) June 23, 2015

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou #Djibouti #EA pic.twitter.com/6jTeUd6NIq

— butterfly (@InaZoom) June 23, 2015

   Marché D'nowar, L'Mdinna, Adar L'Bayda2e L'Kobra, L'Maghrib. #Casablanca#Morocco#streetphotography#Casa#shape#architecture#citylife#shape#arc#theafricathemedianevershowsyou#ig_morocco#ig_Casablanca#majesticsquares#IOMorocco#Ma3ART#vsco#vscoarabia#VSCOMorocco#light#aroundtheworld#lovesmorocco#travelmorocco#golbetrotter

A photo posted by Mohamed DENNOUN (@ma3art_) on Jul 2, 2015 at 9:29am PDT

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou East African Traditional Clothes pic.twitter.com/AEMkOnlFfD

— PrettyPrettyPrincess (@damourhaine) June 23, 2015

More Mogadishu, Somalia

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/Yfa71m6Tqn

— prada (@peacetornsomali) June 23, 2015

   #theafricathemedianevershowsyou INDADA13_4529 by Roderick Eime on Flickr. Just follow this link to see and comment on this photo: https://flic.kr/p/eiDHiL

A photo posted by Roderick Eime (@traveloscopy) on Jul 1, 2015 at 6:50pm PDT

various traditional African villages #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/POTS6RzNwW

— mango (@lunarnomad) June 23, 2015

Diversity for days, weeks, decades, centuries, millenniums. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/ttGhpvrx23

— Captain Africa (@See_Say_92) June 23, 2015

   Accra Roads #traveldeeper #afar #ghana #accra #jecimages #theafricathemedianevershowsyou

A photo posted by Ghanaian | MD | Photographer (@abrantieje) on Jun 27, 2015 at 8:22am PDT

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Source: HuffingtonPost