Archivist & Genealogist, Black Heritage Preservation Specialist
A’isha L. Abdul Rahman, M.L.I.S. Ph.D
Why I do this work
Growing up I felt lost and disconnected from what I knew to be my true self. There was this space of emptiness. Something was missing.
When I converted to Islam, I was envious of all my friends who would go home from Ramadhan and had special foods, languages, music, and countries that they felt very proud and connected to.
It was not until I began to research not only my own family history but also my roots, the stories about who we were, and where we came from. Why we ate what we did, use the words and pronunciations that we did; that all the pieces came together.
I did not accept a history that began with slavery, cooking that was based on what ancestors had to eat because they were enslaved, or music based on enslavement. I knew slavery was significant, but I also knew it was only a small part of our story, so I began my journey to find out who I was and where my people were from, and as I completed my degree in Library and Information Science I explored ways that my peers were preserving and providing access to this type of information, as well as those they had yet to explore.
How I help organizations & institutions reconnect individuals to their roots!
With the use of the latest technology and my natural talents as a visionary, I offer digital archives and collection management services, in addition to consultation, and strategic planning in the design and development of historical and genealogical programming and innovative exhibitions in galleries, libraries, archives, and museums.
Let’s work together to bring your vision to life and create impactful experiences that resonate with audiences for generations to come.
How I help individuals reconnect to their roots!
Imagine knowing exactly where your people are from, the places they’ve lived, the countries they traveled to, the languages they spoke, the food they ate, the songs they sang, the traditions and values they held and were inherited from their ancestors.
Imagine having a place you can truly call home. A place you can visit or live where you are not pulled over or followed because of the color of your skin. Where you are proud to wear your natural hair or cover it if you so please.
Imagine knowing where you are from, the royalty that is inside your DNA, and what you can truly become; not because your ancestors were enslaved, but because you know the true history of who they were, the strength that had within, the knowledge that they passed along and that despite the odds against them, it was also passed down to you. You know exactly why you eat what you eat, speak how you speak, and show up how you show up! You know who you are because you know who they were.
I offer genealogical research and reports, as well as heritage travel consultation services to individuals looking to reconnect to their roots.
I obtained my Sierra Leone citizenship through MtDNA testing, which traced
my maternal grandmother and her mother, and her mother, etc., to the
Mende and Temne people who live in Sierra Leone today!
Bridging past, present, and future:
My intersection of technology, culture, and traditional genealogical research and archival methods makes me unique among my peers. My technical expertise along with a background in transpersonal counseling is not something that everyone can provide.
My ventures include a nonprofit; Legacy Builders & Empowerment Inc. and its various cultural projects, and Legacy Planning & Preservation LLC, both of which reflect my commitment to heritage preservation, and community empowerment.
Africa is a continent of 54 countries, thousands of ethnicities, and even more languages. My mission is to live and leave a legacy reconnecting the motherland to its children. Every child has the right to know its mother.