Ashanti remembers her childhood like it was yesterday.
Long before performing massive hits like “Foolish” and “Rock Wit U” for thousands of fans, the 41-year-old was just a young girl at school who didn’t always feel like she fit in.
“Growing up having a very unique name, there were moments,” Ashanti exclusively shared with E! News. “I remember there was circle time and the teacher would call out names. The kids would go, ‘Why doesn’t her name sound like this or that?'”
The experiences inspired Ashanti to write her very first children’s book My Name Is A Story, an empowering tale about a girl who learns to love her unique name. It’s a journey Ashanti knows all too well.
“My name originates in Ghana,” she explained. “When you travel outside of the country, sometimes the women are considered low on the totem pole. But there’s a tribe of people called the Ashanti and in this specific tribe, the women run things. It means woman of strength and I thought this is perfect for me.”