“Our Stories Are Our Salvation”: Inside The Stories Of Us Exhibit, A Monumental Tribute To Black Identity and Imagination – Essence
Standing before the vibrant yellow and white text describing the sculptures in The Stories of Us exhibition at the United Nations, the voices of artists from across the African diaspora filled the space. A quick scan of the QR code beneath the first display brought the voice of artist Marryam Moma into my ears, offering insight into her intricate paper-cut collage. The piece fuses technology with Black identity and is one of five works in part one of the exhibit, inspired by the talking drum style.
The theme of Moma’s Melanin Machina is Us Reimagined—Ubuntu—the philosophy that “I am because we are.” After absorbing her story and those of several other artists indoors, I stepped outside to witness the physical manifestations of their vision standing proudly on the United Nations Visitors’ Plaza. After hearing the creators’ intent and process, their sculptures felt even more powerful.
The Stories of Us exhibition is not just a collection of sculptures but an immersive experience that centers on global aspects of the Black experience, creating a living dialogue between narrative and form. It immerses visitors in the voices and visions of artists from across the African diaspora—each piece is a testament to identity, heritage, and creative expression.
“Our stories are our salvation,” says The Stories of Us co-founder Ashley Shaw Scott Adjaye. “It’s truly what keeps us together as a human race. Regardless of these times, past times, or future times, for me, it always will come back to our stories and how we carry them.”
The exhibition features sculptures from artists with roots in Haiti, Nigeria, Tanzania, Barbados, Jamaica and beyond—creating a visual conversation about identity, history, and possibilities for the future.
“We have a responsibility to lean into our stories,” Adjaye continues. “We can’t leave that up to anyone else. It’s our responsibility to remember the things our grandmothers and grandfathers said to us. It’s our responsibility to pass that to the next generation.”
In this context, the exhibition represents more than art—it’s an act of cultural preservation and resistance, ensuring stories that have been “lost or forgotten” or “not been given the space that they deserve” find their audience.
Cultural Diplomacy Through Art
The Stories of Us exhibition shifts the idea of diplomacy—placing art, not just policy, at the center of the conversation. Curated in collaboration with the United Nations Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery, the exhibition brings work from artists across the African diaspora into a space where policy and power are usually at the forefront. It explores the universal ideals of equality and solidarity—principles at the heart of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of the United Nations.
These sculptures don’t try to give us answers. Instead, they ask big questions—about belonging, justice, and how we remember. It’s a reminder that art can spark the kind of honest reflection that global institutions don’t always make room for.
The timing matters, too. This exhibition comes just after the recent launch of the second International Decade for People of African Descent, which started at the top of 2025 and runs through 2034. It’s a renewed commitment to visibility, equity, and dignity for Black communities worldwide. In that context, the exhibition stands as both a cultural offering and political statement—amplifying the voices of artists whose work carries the weight of history and the urgency of now.
“We want people from different places, from different walks of life, different ages—true diversity—and particularly an opportunity to tell stories that haven’t been told, that have either been lost or forgotten or have not been given the space that they deserve to be heard,” Adjaye explains.
“It’s about the stories that we’ve shared making a connection,” says The Stories of Us co-founder Dennis Marcus. “When people have an emotional response… it’s not just ‘Oh, I like that,’ or ‘That sparked something.’ It’s ‘This is me.’” He adds, “It’s so gratifying when they scan the QR codes, when they stand there and read the interpretation we’ve provided, when they really take the time to contemplate the artwork… that’s when we know the stories we’ve shared have made a connection.”
Francks Deceus’s piece, Carib Olympics, is a striking response to the theme of “Good Trouble.” Born in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti, and raised in Brooklyn, Deceus brings a deeply personal perspective to his work. His sculpture honors the Haitian Revolution. With minimalist tones and symbolic figures, Deceus’s piece speaks to the ongoing struggle for liberation and justice. “He talks about the Haitian Revolution as part of his DNA,” Adjaye shares. “That commitment to liberty and freedom—it’s something he carries with him, and it shows in the work.”
Nearby, Afromations by Nigerian-born artist Láolú Senbanjo offers a spiritual counterpoint. Created in response to the “Origins” theme, the sculpture invites viewers to connect with their ancestral wisdom and the divine within. Senbanjo began his career as a human rights lawyer before turning fully to art. In this medium, he weaves Yoruba philosophy into everything from murals to major collaborations with Beyoncé and Serena Williams.
With Afromations, he reminds us that we’re all “ancestors in the making.” His work pulses with the energy of ritual and intention, grounded in the belief that the stories and traditions of the past are crucial tools for shaping our future.
And then there’s Melanin Machina by Moma, a Nigerian-Tanzanian artist whose voice many visitors first hear in the exhibit hall, sharing her process through a QR code audio experience. Her sculpture blends self-portraiture with futuristic vision—imagining herself as part-human, part-cyborg. It’s a striking meditation on Black identity, technology, and the legacy we leave behind.
“I included children in the piece because they’re part of this legacy,” Moma says. “I have a two-year-old son and I want to make room for him in everything I create.”
Her self-portrait within the sculpture speaks to this journey, showing a woman with protective armor who is “ready to travel” and “take up space.”
“When you peel the onion, it’s really about making space for people to see that the woman is not necessarily just a nurturer, but someone who is able to empower herself, to do those things, to travel, to see new worlds, to conquer new lands,” Moma explains.
Interactive Storytelling for Global Understanding
An essential aspect of the exhibition is its interactivity. Beyond the physical sculptures and the QR codes, which allow visitors to hear directly from the artists in their own voices, the team behind Stories of Us is working on a digital storytelling platform.
“We are in the process of building out our storytelling platform, where we will be able to host stories that people want to share,” says Adjaye. This digital extension of the physical exhibition creates opportunities for ongoing engagement and dialogue, even after the sculptures have moved to their next location.
This multi-layered approach to storytelling—physical, audio and digital—allows the exhibition to reach audiences across different contexts and preferences, making it more accessible and impactful.
When these sculptures travel to New Orleans for the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture, they’ll expand their reach as cultural touchstones during a celebration known for creating meaningful experiences for the Black community.
“It truly is a festival of culture, and culture is what binds us,” Adjaye notes. “We’re excited to bring artists who are local from New Orleans and Louisiana into that space, honoring the people who make Louisiana so great.”
The exhibition’s presence at Essence Fest this summer will represent an important convergence—bringing together international art with local expression, and connecting diplomatic ideals with cultural celebration. It’s an opportunity for festival-goers to experience these powerful works and contribute their own stories to this growing tapestry.
“Essence is a place where people create their stories,” Adjaye shares. “Where you celebrate stories. It’s about recognizing and uplifting the dignity of people.”
As co-founders, Adjaye and Marcus shared that their ultimate mission: transformative solidarity. “That is our mission—to bring this sense of one dignity being entwined in your neighbors, that our humanity is inextricable from one person to the next.”
Building Bridges Through Art and Ancestry in New Orleans
From the grand halls of the United Nations to the vibrant streets of New Orleans, The Stories of Us will continue its journey as the sculptures arrive at this summer’s ESSENCE Festival of Culture, and they do so with the full force of collective intention behind them.
The exhibition’s presence in New Orleans is more than a stop on a tour; it’s a homecoming. In a city where Black culture, resilience and rhythm pulse through every block, the sculptures will take root—offering not just a visual experience, but a place for gathering, for ritual, and for remembrance.
In partnership with ESSENCE Communications, a founding supporter of the exhibition, The Stories of Us will not only be displayed but expanded, commissioning ten new works, including five by New Orleans artists. These pieces will live in both Louis Armstrong Park during Juneteenth and inside the Morial Convention Center during the ESSENCE Festival.
“At ESSENCE, we believe in the power of story not just to reflect our reality but to reshape it,” says Barkue Tubman Zawolo, Chief Community Officer at ESSENCE. “Partnering with The Stories of Us is a natural extension of our mission—to create spaces that uplift, challenge and ultimately unite through the lived experiences of Black communities.”
But it won’t stop at sculpture, visitors will be welcomed into drum circles, typewriter poetry, yoga, and moments of stillness. It’s an open invitation: not just to view art, but to engage with it, to bring your whole self to it.
