Imagine a world where storytelling is not just a reflection of life—but a force that shapes it. A world where poetry doesn’t simply describe injustice but dismantles it. This is the world that Nigerian spoken word artist and 2024 UN SDG Action Awards Creativity Finalist Alhanislam is helping to build—one word at a time.
Yet across Africa and beyond, millions of young people—especially women—continue to face systemic barriers that silence their voices, from limited access to education and employment to underrepresentation in decision-making spaces. While traditional advocacy has largely been led by institutions, there is growing recognition that creative expression holds untapped potential to engage communities and accelerate change from the ground up.
Through her platform True My Voice, Alhanislam is flipping that script. She equips poets with digital tools, leads campaigns that influence policy, and transforms lived experience into collective action. Her words have reached millions—and her work is proof that creativity isn’t ornamental, it’s essential.
Alhanislam invites us all to see art not as an accessory to development, but as its engine. On World Creativity and Innovation Day, we spotlight her voice, her vision, and the call she issues to us all: listen, imagine, and act.
A Conversation with Alhanislam
We spoke with Alhanislam about the inspiration behind her work, the role of art in systems transformation, and how creativity can help us imagine a more just and sustainable world.
Alhanislam, your art and poetry are powerful tools for advocacy. What has been your biggest source of inspiration to keep creating and using your voice, especially during difficult times?
Alhanislam: Honestly, what keeps me going especially in the hard moments is the memory of the women I’ve seen fight battles quietly and fiercely. My inspiration comes from real stories. From my mother, a single parent who chose art as her form of resistance. From my aunties Safiya and Halima whose experiences with domestic violence shook me into action. I was only thirteen when I first put pen to paper, writing an open letter against their pain.
“Poetry has become more than just words for me, it’s my way of standing up, of processing the weight of injustice and transforming it into something meaningful...As long as someone is listening, there’s a reason to keep speaking.”
Since then, poetry has become more than just words for me, it’s my way of standing up, of processing the weight of injustice and transforming it into something meaningful. When I created “Violence Has No Religion” at sixteen, and a man wrote to say it made him change how he treated his wife that moment changed everything. It reminded me that even in the hardest times, our voices matter. As long as someone is listening, there’s a reason to keep speaking.
You often speak about the power of creativity and art not just to inspire—but to mobilize and create transformative change. Through True My Voice, you’ve led campaigns that have reached millions and even influenced legislation. What have these experiences taught you about the role of creativity in systems-level transformation across Africa and beyond?
Alhanislam: I’ve come to believe that creativity is one of the most powerful forces for change not just to inspire, but to shift conversations and challenge the status quo. Through True My Voice, I’ve seen how a single poem or story can ripple across communities and open space for difficult but necessary conversations. It’s taught me that people don’t always respond to data or reports, but they listen when something touches them. Art has that power.
“People don’t always respond to data or reports, but they listen when something touches them. Art has that power.”
The campaigns we’ve led weren’t just about awareness, they’ve sparked dialogue, connected people, and in some cases, even influenced laws. And through it all, I’ve learned that transformation isn’t just about policies or protests, it’s also about creating room for empathy, for connection. In Africa, where stories have always been at the heart of who we are, using art as a tool for change just makes sense. It’s about reclaiming narratives and reminding people that their voices and their lives matter.
World Creativity and Innovation Day invites us to imagine new possibilities. What would a just and sustainable world look like to you—and how do we start building it today?
Alhanislam: To me, a just and sustainable world is one where everyone, regardless of where they’re born, what they look like, or what they have access to, can live with dignity. It’s a world where girls don’t have to fight for the right to dream, where communities are not just surviving, but thriving in harmony with their environment. It’s where justice isn’t selective, and sustainability isn’t just about the climate, but about protecting people, cultures, and possibilities.
I believe we start building that world by listening more to the earth, to each other, and to the stories that often go unheard. We build it by giving young people space to lead, by valuing indigenous knowledge systems, and by using creativity as a bridge between what is and what could be. It won’t happen overnight, but every small act, every poem, policy, protest, or platform brings us closer. The work begins with imagining boldly and acting with intention.
What is hope for you?
Alhanislam’s journey is a reminder that change doesn’t always start in parliaments or boardrooms—sometimes, it begins with a single poem. Her work continues to echo across borders, proving that creativity can be a force as powerful as any policy. Her voice challenges us to rethink what advocacy looks like—and who gets to lead it. In a world in search of healing, justice, and bold imagination, she reminds us that art can do more than inspire—it can build.
Do you know any changemakers using creativity to drive impact? Nominate them—or apply—for the UN SDG Action Awards Creativity category, which recognizes campaigns that have shifted mindsets, inspired action, and influenced change through creative mediums like poetry, music, theatre, street art, film, and more. Apply now: www.sdgactionawards.org
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