Name: Embracing otherness, embracing myself
Uploaded: 2011-07-20T14:53:00Z
Duration: 13 min 38 s
Description: Actor Thandiwe Newton tells the story of finding her "otherness" -- first, as a child growing up in two distinct cultures, and then as an actor playing with many different selves. A warm, wise talk, fresh from the stage at TEDGlobal 2011.

Actor Thandiwe Newton tells the story of finding her "otherness" -- first, as a child growing up in two distinct cultures, and then as an actor playing with many different selves. A warm, wise talk, fresh from the stage at TEDGlobal 2011.

Embracing otherness, embracing myself

The core of human identity is not fixed, but a projection shaped by others' views and our own need to belong. A childhood spent feeling 'other' led to the realization that the self is an ever-changing construct, not an intrinsic truth. Scientific facts, like genetic diversity within Africa, challenge common definitions of race. True connection and healing come from embracing a shared essence that predates our social labels.