Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
She was an articulate speaker who said a few things that made sense. If you want to listen to her, go to her TED talks.
She told the graduates that Williams is the college of cool geeks.
Even if you're not a famous published writer, the benefits of writing are reading and dreaming.
When she started out she got rejection after rejection. She realized that rejection can mean that the piece submitted is a bad fit for the publisher or maybe it's just bad. Rejection does not necessarily mean the piece is bad.
Incompetence dressed up as leadership is still incompetence. (A veiled reference to Trump (got sustained applause).
She has a rant that she addresses to her nieces and nephews, "Put your damn phones down."
Regarding social justice, living in a just society is a great gain. She sees all politics as being deeply tribal. Regarding privilege: a straight white male hits the privilege jackpot.
Privilege can get in the way of seeking social justice. Beware of social justice.
There are important learning opportunities in everyone's stories and these will make the raw material for what you communicate to others.
She ended with Emily Dickinson's poem, "Hope is a thing with feathers."
“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all –
Wellesley Commencement Address 2015 (C.N. Adicie)