10 Word Story 2026
"I believe there is power in words, power in asserting our existence, our experience, our lives, through words."
Jesmyn Ward
10 Word Story 2026:
Honouring Our Communities
For the third year running, this October, House of Nyabinghi will launch our 10 Word Story initiative in support of Black History Month UK's (BHMUK) 2026 theme: Honouring Our Communities.
Between 00:00hrs Saturday 10 October 2026 and 23:59hrs Tuesday 10 November 2026, the portal will open for participants to submit their short stories.
What Is the 10 Word Story Initiative?
The 10 Word Story initiative is a creative writing challenge celebrating the brilliance, resilience, and imagination of the global African diaspora. It’s simple: express your truth, your pride, or your vision for the future in exactly ten words; no more, no less.
Each story becomes a declaration capturing an epoch of time. Together, they all form a living archive of our collective creativity of short stories told by us, for us.
Why 10 Words?
The initiative was initially inspired by House of Nyabinghi’s Calendar of Culture & Weekly Planner, which celebrates ten African diaspora nations each year including Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, France, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, the UK, USA, and Venezuela; where many descendants of enslaved peoples from the Transatlantic Slave Trade now live or call home.
Our Brand Pillars
Every 10 Word Story is inspired by one of our five brand pillars:
Creativity – the freedom to imagine and create new worlds.
Heritage – honouring the past and carrying it forward.
Innovation – shaping tomorrow through bold ideas and fresh perspectives.
Love – healing, uniting, and uplifting oneself and each other.
Ubuntu – the spirit of community: I am because we are.
These pillars are rooted at the core of House of Nyabinghi and impact everything we do.
Our mission remains the same: connect, converse, and create with our community; the invisible creatives and uncredited authors whose stories are woven into the very fabric of society, yet too often go unheard.
The Challenge
Your task is simple, to reflect the BHMUK2026 theme 'Honouring Our Communities':
- Choose one of our five pillars as your inspiration.
- Write a story in exactly 10 words.
- Submit as many entries as you like before 23:59hrs Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Each story can be:
- Factual
- Fictional (all genre's welcome)
- Poetry
The magic lies in creating a story that inspires from the very first word to the last, proving that sometimes, the smallest frame can hold the biggest truths.
Whether your story is poetic, powerful, or playful, it’s your voice that matters most. Your words will stand alongside others from across the global African diaspora.
A selection of the best 10 Word Story submissions from our 2026 cohort will feature in House of Nyabinghi's Calendar of Culture & Weekly Planner 2028. Read the 10 Word Story submission criteria.
The portal will open for participants to submit their short stories between 00:00hrs Saturday 10 October 2026 and 23:59hrs Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Spread the Word
Get your pens, and devices ready to create your prose, and don’t forget to share the link or QR code with your family, friends, and wider network.
Let’s fill this year’s collection with stories that showcase how we come together and use our identity, and creativity to honour our communities.
Follow us on our social media channels and tag your submission using:
#10WordStory #BHMUK #HouseOfNyabinghi #HonouringOurCommunities