In Perspective
The series honors diverse perspectives as essential to insight and innovation, spotlighting experts, emerging thinkers, and community voices across fields.
The Nuances of Stories
We are all shaped by the stories we consume. Usually, we look upward for them. We seek out the success stories of the famous, the resilient, and the exceptionally lucky, hoping to mirror their excellence.
But I’ve realized something: The most profound inspiration doesn’t come from perfection. It comes from proximity.
True wisdom isn’t found in a polished keynote; it’s found in the messy, authentic journey of becoming. It is found in the vulnerable accounts of struggle and the unexpected lessons learned in the quiet moments.
This deep appreciation for the human narrative is why I am launching In Perspective.
The Leap of Faith
For those who know me, this is more than just a new project: it is a significant leap of faith. I have always preferred to be the one in the wings, amplifying others rather than centering my own story. I am someone who naturally second-guesses my own voice.
But lately, time and alignment have moved in favor of this mission. I have always been driven by reflection, critique, and vision. I’ve realized these are not solitary acts; they are collective conversations. In Perspective is the vehicle for that dialogue.
The Premise: All Knowledge Matters
In Perspective is a space where we step back to truly listen. We often assume that expertise must be certified and centralized: stored in degrees, titles, and institutions. But this gatekeeping excludes the knowledge that is most vital to our survival.
I believe that knowledge is expanded by how it is lived. You find it:
- In the quiet resilience of a mother navigating systems never designed for her.
- In the steady hands of a nurse practicing compassion on the frontlines.
- In the elder whose memories carry histories no archive can hold.
- In the researcher daring to question the familiar.
By bringing these voices together, we connect isolated fragments of wisdom into a collective map. We are building a full-circle understanding of the world as it was, as it is, and as it can be.
Reflections from the Table: A Conversation with Deborah Shomuyiwa
To start this “full circle,” I’m putting myself in the hot seat first.
- What is the assumption about expertise that drives you to launch this series now?
The most limiting assumption we hold is that expertise must be formalized. When we speak to a graduate coordinator, we ask about the curriculum. When we speak to an entrepreneur, we ask about margins. We rarely ask the coordinator, “How have you stayed sane and human in academia for 20 years?” or ask the founder, “How did you manage the fear of change when your professional world flipped upside down?”
We are facing global conundrums: the rapid evolution of knowledge, the rise of AI, and the shifting landscape of work and equity. These challenges are moving faster than any institution can keep up with. We’ve created rigid structures, degrees and titles, that define who gets to speak with authority, but this excludes the knowledge that is most vital: the wisdom learned at the kitchen table, on the factory floor, or in the protest line.
I am launching In Perspective now because we need to actively disrupt the idea that only one type of expert deserves a platform. We need to bring the nuanced, decentralized wisdom of the community into the spotlight before it is lost to the noise of the “certified” world.
- When did you first realize the value of “lived” knowledge?
The shift happened during a detour.
Before I attended the University of Lagos, I found myself in a technical school. This was my first real departure from my protected environment. This became an integral classroom: though not because of the curriculum.
In the lecture halls, I was learning health technology. But on the streets and in the markets, I was learning about humanity.
I quickly realized that the “standard” way I spoke and the rapid-fire pace of my thoughts didn’t translate there. If I wanted to truly connect, I had to unlearn my own rhythm. I had to learn to speak slower. I had to learn “a different English”: a version of communication that wasn’t about sounding educated, but about being understood.
I watched how the people there navigated life with a specific kind of groundedness. They saw the world through a lens of communal survival and ancient wisdom that my textbooks didn’t cover. That was the first time I realized that my academic preparation was only one small slice of the pie.
This taught me that expertise is a language. If you only speak the language of the institution, you miss the heartbeat of the people. It was there that I learned that to gain wisdom, you first have to listen well enough to change the way you speak.
- What is the most important thing “In Perspective” needs to fulfill its purpose?
Continuity. It cannot just be a collection of stories that inspire for a moment. It needs to create a sustained culture of reflection that ripples through how we teach, lead, and live.
To do this, In Perspective will be built on three pillars: Curiosity, Humility, and Courage. I mention courage specifically because, as someone who notoriously second-guesses themselves, launching this is an act of bravery for me.
Knowledge is not a possession; it is a conversation. I invite you to join us.
What’s Next?
I want to hear the “kitchen table” wisdom you’ve encountered. Who is someone in your life whose ‘lived knowledge’ you’ll like to see here?
Let’s work together
Have a project in mind? I’d love to hear your ideas and create something meaningful together.
deborahshomuyiwa@gmail.com