In 1970, in the “year of the sexual revolution,” journalist and activist Gloria Steinem (1934–2026) delivered a speech to graduates of Vassar College in the state of New York. In it, she described her conviction that feminism is humanistic—intended for the liberation of all—and revealed parallels between different forms of oppression. One of her key themes was the importance of women’s history for building a just society. Forty years later, Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (b. 1977), author of “Americanah,” “Half of a Yellow Sun,” “Dream Count,” and others, delivered her widely acclaimed talk “The Danger of a Single Story,” in which she illustrates the importance of multiple narratives—for understanding the world, but also for questioning structures of power and safeguarding humanity and dignity. Both speakers captivate through the clarity of their thinking, their willingness to admit their own mistakes, and the humor with which they meet every difficulty.

Saskia Klar, long familiar to the Wortwiege audience, embodies the young Gloria Steinem, while Jamie Petutschnig brings the African author to the stage.

To help contextualize and analyze these differing discourses, we are delighted to have writer, playwright, and columnist Julya Rabinowich at our side.