In a world obsessed with personal branding, bios have become business cards. We compress our lifework into two sentences.
“Poet. Strategist. Founder. Slam Master.”
But what happens when the most meaningful parts of your legacy won’t fit into a headline?
For many of us building the arts and cultural space in Africa, the work that truly matters often doesn’t show up in press kits but it changes lives just the same.
Titles Tell. Impact Proves.
I’ve held many titles: Slam Master of Ghana. Communications Lead. Event Director.They look good on flyers. They open doors.
But on the real It lives in:
- The young woman who stepped on stage and discovered her voice
- The schoolboy who turned pain into poetry.
- The audience that didn’t just clap they changed.
Takeaway:Titles open doors but impact leaves footprints.
The Problem with “Professional Summaries”
Bios demand clarity, brevity, structure.
But legacy? Legacy is chaotic.
It’s built in quiet labor: late nights, unbilled calls, lost grants, surprise wins.
I’ve worked behind the scenes on everything from regional workshops to prepping poets for international stages.
None of it fits neatly in a CV bullet but every part of it matters.
Key Takeaway: Invisible work is still essential work.
Culture Work: Under-Recognized, Over-Required
Especially in Africa, cultural organizers are the ones holding entire ecosystems together often unpaid, unacknowledged, and unseen.
We’re the ones:
- Writing proposals at 2 a.m.
- Booking flights with borrowed funds.
- Designing shows to keep art alive without grants.
- And still we show up every single time.
Key Takeaway:Cultural builders shape the future often without applause
Your Legacy Already Lives in Others
Forget the polished bio for a moment. Ask yourself:
- Who dares to speak up because you existed?
- What project exists because you stayed when it got tough?
- Whose entire path shifted because you said yes?
That’s your real portfolio and bio in motion.
Key Takeaway:Your story is already being written in others.
Conclusion: Write Less, Do More. Let Them Tell Your Story.
Yes, we all want to be seen, understood, and shared.
But legacy isn’t what you say about yourself it’s what others say when you’re no longer in the room.
The most powerful bios are the ones written in hearts, not headlines.
Key Takeaway:You may not control the narrative but you influence the next chapter.
Want to support or collaborate?
- Mentor a young poet through Ehalakasa
- Invite me to speak on legacy-building in African arts
- Fund a platform that supports the next generation of creative changemakers