When Adichie says that she comes from a middle-class family, she's not only describing her background; she is challenging a mental image people have about Africa—one of poverty and hunger.

As a person coming from a country/region that also suffers from a single story about it, I believe that this is the only way to fight ignorance and prejudice.

By showing the people of the world how we're similar to them, we'll promote acceptance and inclusivity.

Would people still think that Saudis are terrorists if they saw a theater packed with Saudis waiting to watch the "Eras Tour" movie? Would they still think that Saudi Arabia is undeservedly wealthy if they saw a Saudi petroleum engineer working 12-hour shifts to supply the world with energy?

I don't believe they will.

World peace will only come about when humanity becomes at the core of every person's identity, not religion, nationality, or ethnicity.

I had a mini panic attack on the night of the discussion. I doubted that the topic I chose would generate a lively conversation. While important and relevant, I assumed all participants would share the same opinions. I underestimated the unique world views of group C. Surprisingly, the discussion turned out to be as lively as anyone could imagine. 

I was lucky to have moderated last, by then everyone had mastered the art of debate, and shared valuable insights.

Regarding the resources, I selected two short yet suitable ones. The first was a timeline of America's relationship with the Middle East. The second was a news article detailing the costs of America’s wars.

• What did you do well as the moderator? 

As an introvert, I know the struggle of wanting to contribute to the conversation but not knowing when to interrupt or fearing that my comment wouldn’t add to the discussion. So, I ensured that everyone got the opportunity to speak by devising a timer system that allocated a certain amount of time to each participant.

• What could you have done better? 

I tried my best to restrain my biases, but I may have slipped a couple of times. In the future, I’ll make sure that I not only refrain from engaging in the discussion but also hide my position well enough so that it’s not obvious to the participants.

• What did you learn from this experience?  

I learned how to control a moderated discussion and lead it to where I want without ending a line of thought prematurely. I learned how to stop my own biases from impacting the discussion. I learned how to stop participants who took up a disproportionate amount of time and how to engage quieter participants. This experience has been so valuable. I’m eagerly awaiting another opportunity, be it in college, during the foundation year, or elsewhere in life.

The resources Joud provided were incredible. She managed to equip us all with an intimate understanding of the topic so that we’d come into the discussion ready for anything that she might throw at us. I also appreciate how concise the resources she chose were. We’re all incredibly busy, and putting this much effort into ensuring preparing isn’t an inconvenience is commendable.

• What did you do well during the discussion?

I argued my position well. I gave others the opportunity to speak. I cited the examples and anecdotes in the resources often to better support my position.

• What could you have done better?

I used to be a part of the Saudi national debate team, which embedded in me the skill of relentlessly furthering my argument and attacking the smallest flaws in my opponents’ argument.

While this approach may help me win debate competitions, it doesn’t help me in consecutive discussions such as this one.

 I was too cemented in my opinion which, looking back, is not as good as I thought it was. In the future, I’ll remind myself that we’re working as partners to create a fruitful discussion.

• What did you learn from this experience?

I learned how to listen to others’ arguments. I learned how to control my competitive streak. I learned how important data is in the process of tackling social issues. I learned how answers to societal problems are nuanced and complicated.