It takes a village
to tell a story.

An Afroteller is not defined by nationality, ethnicity, or geography. An Afroteller is defined by values alignment and commitment to Afrikan stories told with integrity.

This definition is intentionally inclusive and intentionally demanding. Inclusive, because the work of narrative sovereignty needs people from many backgrounds, disciplines, and contexts. Demanding, because the Afrotellers identity is not a label — it is a commitment. It comes with responsibilities, set out in the Afrotellers Creed that every member and affiliated hub adopts.

Identity is not a branding question. It is a strategic question. A movement that cannot say clearly who it is cannot say clearly what it stands for — and a movement that cannot say what it stands for will not hold a line when pressure comes.

The Afrotellers Creed is the heartbeat of the movement — a shared declaration of how we carry the calling to tell Afrika's stories. It is not imported from Northern journalism schools or international media organisations. It rises from within Afrikan communities and contexts, and is spoken together as a shared commitment to integrity, dignity, and responsibility.

Written by Jacqueline Asiimwe and first recited at the Afrotellers Conference 2025, the Creed names what an Afroteller commits to: to story Afrika in her fullness, to honour the silenced and celebrate the spoken, and to hold storytelling as both political and lyrical — resistance and remembrance.

Every member and affiliated hub adopts the Creed. It is recited at gatherings, signed by Academy graduates, and carried into the daily practice of telling our stories on our own terms.