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Whenever an African country is depicted in film or television, it is often shown in a negative light. There are images of extreme poverty, poor infrastructure, starving children, the AIDS epidemic, violence, civil war, etc… Rarely are the positive aspects of the continent shown. Users on Twitter have taken it upon themselves to share #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou. There have been about 42,000 tweets using the hashtag. People are sharing pictures of beautiful African landscapes, buildings, and wildlife as well as achievements accomplished by African people.
Tackling Baseless Stereotypes
Diana Salah is one person who helped spread the campaign’s message. “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,” she said. A user shared of one of his family’s houses, sarcastically referring to it as a “hut” since many believe that all Africans can only afford to live in huts.
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Sharing the Diversity of Africa
Users seemed fed up that all of the nations in the continent are portrayed as a single, homogenous society in western and international media. They are using the hashtag to share the diversity and uniqueness of the countries.
Showing the Beautiful Landscapes
Like this pink lake in Senegal.
And These Mountains
“It’s so important to showcase the diversity & beauty of Africa and with mainstream media not up for the task, social media was the perfect outlet.#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou will continue to promote a positive image and also change misconceptions along the way,” Salah said.
SEE ALSO: 12 Unique African Cities That Will Spark Your Curiosity
