'The Story of Your Name' Project launches to explore global black identity

The Armah Institute of Emotional Justice (AIEJ), a global non-profit based in Accra, has unveiled its latest storytelling initiative, The Story of Your Name, as part of its ongoing mission to explore and heal the emotional legacy of Black identity.

Launched in September, this project invites participants from Africa, the US, the UK, the Caribbean, and beyond to share the personal stories behind their names and what shapes their Blackness.

Participants use voice notes to tell the story of their name—who named them, why, and how their Black identity has been shaped. Contributions are coming from Ghana, South Africa, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and the Diaspora, creating an audio map of personal histories spanning family, nation, oppression, freedom, love, and healing.

“These stories are funny, moving, and deeply insightful,” said AIEJ CEO Esther Armah. “Through 3-5 minute voice notes, we are drawing an audio map that offers a sonic bridge of healing across global Black experiences.”

The Story of Your Name is part of AIEJ's broader HEALING HARM | HEEDING HISTORY initiative, which began in 2023. 

This multi-year project is focused on fostering healing between Black people in Africa and the Diaspora, offering in-person and online events and campaigns that explore shared histories and emotional legacies. The September 2023 launch event at the Library of Africa and the African Diaspora (LOATAD) in Accra featured drumming, dramatizations, and discussions with local artists and Diaspora communities, reflecting the project’s commitment to creative and cultural healing.

The initiative is sponsored by key partners, including the Ghana Tourism Authority, Beyond the Return Secretariat, the African American Association of Ghana, and the Ghana Caribbean Association. As part of its yearly tradition, AIEJ designates September as Black-on-Black Healing Month, calling for global Black communities to reflect on the emotional identities that need healing.

For more information or to request the project’s video trailer and audio clips, contact Theresa Adezewa Ayittey at +233 26 751 9601.