Names are a key aspect to our identity. They are what we call ourselves and they often determine how we live, how we move through the world, and how we are understood or misunderstood. They are also how we are inscribed, documented and recorded by others. Our names carry ancestral lineages and knowledge of our Mother Tongue, as well as cultural knowledge and traditions. As a result, our names embody how we trace ourselves through our known family lines, as well as how we are tracked and followed by the state or government. They are highly personal, at the same time as being wholly political. How is it then, that we rarely explore, investigate and totally face what it means To Be Named?

We encourage you to write an essay/creative piece that explores how your name means and how this meaning is tied to social contexts. You can think about this in different ways: what does your name mean and to whom? How does it convey cultural, political or geographic stories, histories and belongings? Is your name tied to a specific place and if so, how and why? Is your name an indicator of your identity or not? Have you changed your name or created a pseudonym in order to create a new identity? Do you have an alternative persona online and how did you name them? Has your name been changed by others due to translation, immigration or social policy shifts? What stories can you share that give insight into these social contexts and issues?