ONE Stubborn Thing

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.” —John Adams

A NOTE TO READERS/SUBSCRIBERS: Thank you for being loyal readers to Stubborn Things. Stubborn Things began in 2022 as a way for me to elevate important truths, share modest insights on the world around us, and scratch my writing “itch.” I’ve really appreciated the feedback I’ve received and the ideas you’ve offered for new essay topics.

Earlier this year, I was honored to join the ONE Campaign as its global president and CEO. In my early days in Congress, ONE —and yes, Bono— played a key role in building the support for initiatives like debt relief, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Millennium Challenge Act (which created the MCC). It helped with the intellectual ammunition and political coalition building that made those and other important initiatives possible—I know, I was an assistant whip at the time.

Those initiatives changed the course of human history. They helped to lift millions of lives and build countless communities. But there are new challenges on the world stage today and new opportunities. ONE is as dedicated as ever to the causes that led to PEPFAR, MCC, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. And once again, there is an urgent need for clear thinking and smart analysis.

I want to do my part. That’s why I hope you’ll continue to read my work, share whatever you find useful with others, and subscribe (free of charge) if you haven’t already to “ONE Stubborn Thing.”

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If there’s an ebb and flow to human events, then history’s pages seem to be turning a little more quickly these days. The pace of change we’re seeing is testing our ability to process what’s happening and to “make sense of it all.” That challenge is frequently made worse by political actors who, driven by the insatiable hunger of the 24-hour news cycle and social media tools with global reach, work to bend news narratives to serve their own interests.

Nowhere is that more true than with much of what we see —through both traditional and nontraditional media coverage— about Africa. Africa is the youngest continent in demographic terms, and while it has many challenges, there are also exciting developments and opportunities emerging there.

Sometimes it feels as though we’re simply treading water in a sea of misinformation and disinformation about Africa. But accurate numbers, objective accounts, precise images, etc., can pierce through the fog like a lighthouse well-lit. Some of these actualities not only stand for themselves, but they hint at broader truths that influencers and policymakers both in Africa and the West can use to help shape the future.

As Founding Father John Adams said two and a half centuries ago, “facts are stubborn things.” ONE Stubborn Thing is a modest attempt to elevate those stubborn things, ONE at a time.