Narrative change work is deeply connected to mental health, especially within communities that have experienced historical trauma, marginalization, and identity erasure, such as African Americans. Shifting narratives can play a transformative role in promoting mental well-being, healing from intergenerational trauma, and fostering a sense of empowerment and self-worth.
What is Narrative Change work?
Narrative change refers to the process of reshaping or transforming dominant stories, perspectives, and ways of thinking about a group, issue, or identity. For many African Americans, the need for a new way of viewing ourselves and Africa, isn't necessarily top of mind. Yet, it is crucial for our psychological wellbeing.
Narrative change work is evident in the efforts of African Ancestry through several key approaches that focus on shifting the way that people across the African Diaspora view their identity, heritage, and connection to Africa.
African Ancestry, a company that specializes in DNA testing to trace African roots, has transformed the way people understand their personal stories and the collective narrative of African Americans.
Here are a few ways that African Ancestry can help improve your mental health.
Connection #1: Reclaiming Identity and Pride in African Heritage
Our work counters a historical narrative that has most often minimized and/or erased African contributions to world history. When you trace your ancestry to specific African regions, tribes, and cultures, you are able to reclaim a sense of pride and belonging to the African continent.
The shift > This narrative shift challenges stereotypes that portray Africa as a monolithic or negative space and repositions it as a source of cultural richness, diversity, and strength.
Connection #2: Countering the Negative Legacy of Slavery and Colonialism
For centuries, the dominant narrative about Diasporans in the Americas and Caribbea has been rooted in the trauma of slavery, often focusing on disconnection, loss, and subjugation. African Ancestry results help reframe that narrative with a direct connection to Africa that goes beyond the history of enslavement.
The shift > This knowledge empowers you with knowledge of your pre-slavery lineage, helping to disrupt the generational trauma associated with enslavement and colonization. We shift the focus from victimhood to one of resilience and continuity.
Connection #3: Encouraging a Global African Identity
African Ancestry fosters a broader understanding of African American, Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latino identity as part of a global African Diaspora.
When you can answer the question, "Where are you from?" with an African response, it helps bridge the gap between African Americans and continental Africans, thus changing the narrative of separation and alienation. This helps to create a shared sense of identity and purpose, promoting unity across cultures.
The shift > The idea of being part of a larger, transnational African family is a powerful shift from the more localized and often fragmented sense of identity.
Connection #4: Challenging the Western-Centric View of History
Historically, Western narratives have often framed African history in terms of European contact and colonization, neglecting Africa’s long-standing civilizations, innovations, and contributions to human history.
African Ancestry encourages a new narrative that emphasizes the depth and complexity of African history, pushing back against Eurocentric histories.
The shift > The result not only changes how African Americans see themselves but also challenges how the world sees Africa and African descendants.
Connection #5: Inspiring Cultural and Historical Curiosity
The personal and communal discoveries made through our DNA testing regularly inspire individuals to learn more about the specific African cultures, spiritual practices, languages, and traditions, often finding examples of how these elements are already present in their families.
The shift > This deeper engagement fosters a more nuanced understanding of self and encourages them to actively participate in telling their own stories, grounded in both personal discovery and historical context.
Conclusion
African Ancestry plays a crucial role in shifting narratives for individuals, families and for the broader African Diasporan community. With a mission to help transform how Black people around the world see themselves and Africa, the company actively helps to improve mental health.
