Lena Merhej – illustratör

A colorful graphic memoir, Many Names tells the gripping story of Moneim Rahama, born into a poor family in Sudan in 1960, who grew up to challenge many kinds of oppression under the country's encroaching Islamist military dictatorship. Initially told as a series of flashbacks from prison, the story takes us through his childhood, schooling, and career as a printer, journalist, and activist, and then forward through his escape and asylum in France, with light historical contextualization of postcolonial African history and Sudanese culture. Moneim's humanity, humor, and compassion reveal the joys that make life worth living, even as he navigates the conflicting governmental bodies that have controlled his movements and his very existence. Moneim's life story unfolds against the backdrop of the political struggles of northeastern Africa (Sudan, Eritrea, Kenya, and Ethiopia). At different stages of his life, he is called by different names—both nicknames and legal names—that reflect his changing relationships with the people around him. From early on, Moneim notices discrimination within his country against marginalized Sudanese peoples, such as those from southern Sudan, Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, and the Blue Nile. As he grows older, he helps to organize literary, cultural, professional, and political organizations to challenge authoritarianism and racism. These struggles sometimes land him in trouble—he is expelled once from high school, later arrested and imprisoned twice, and even sentenced to death—but thanks to the efforts of human rights organizations and ordinary people, he eventually receives asylum status and relative safety for himself and his family in France. Even so, Moneim daily confronts biased preconceptions at odds with his true identity and his own aims and goals. Illustrated with tender, lively illustrations by award-winning artist Lena Merhej, Many Names is an unforgettable story of human freedom and dignity, for the author himself and for all people.