Do you see yourself in the stories you read? Are your beliefs, culture, and traditions embraced? Do you see heroes that look like you? In this episode, Louisa Kiwana Olafuyi, Co-Founder of Kunda Kids, shares how she practices multifaceted representation and her mission to inspire children around the world with inclusive stories that celebrate diverse cultures - particularly African heritage.

Kunda Kids is an award-winning, Black-owned children's publishing, EdTech, and media company whose mission is to expose children to diverse and inclusive stories that make them feel represented and teach them about other people and places. In this conversation, Louisa describes how she was inspired to found Kunda Kids and recognizes that stories open windows to the world's vibrant cultures. In particular, it’s how children learn about things, places, and people outside of their everyday lives.

Storytelling is at the heart of Kunda Kids, which has evolved beyond Kunda Kids Children’s Books to also include the Kunda Kids App and Kunda & Friends Animated Series. Louisa shares the learning that people want to be able to experience stories on the go and at home and at school and also recognizes how important storytelling is in terms of passing down stories about our culture and ourselves. Louisa recalls the impactful message of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in the TED talk The danger of a single story | TED. Throughout this conversation, Louisa discusses strategies for expanding representation and shares her advice for increasing multifaceted representation in education and EdTech.

Recommended Resources from the Interview

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story | TED

Kunda Kids

About Our Guest

Louisa Kiwana Olafuyi is an award-winning storyteller and Co-Founder of Kunda Kids, a children's EdTech and Media company on a mission to inspire children around the world with inclusive stories that teach them about African culture and heritage.