Turning Labels into Power for Diasporans: Moustapha Wagne on Veronetta – New Faces of a Neighborhood
In the worlds of business and social leadership, a profound truth often goes unnoticed: the stories others tell about you are frequently a facade, but the story you tell about yourself is your greatest asset.
Learn How to Leverage Your Story through our Story To Asset Framework.
For over a decade, Legacy Story Consultant, Obehi Ewanfoh has been on a mission to bridge this gap. Through his Story to Asset™ framework and more than 1,000 podcast episodes documenting the African Diaspora, Ewanfoh has obsessed over one central question: How do we move from being “tenants” merely surviving in a new land to “sovereigns” who own our future?
A definitive answer lives in the story of Moustapha Wagne. A Senegalese trade unionist who has called Verona home since the 1990s, Moustapha serves as the President of a migrant coordination office and a dedicated union advocate. His journey isn’t just a biography; it is a great example of Ewanfoh’s framework.
Below is the breakdown of how Moustapha turned labels into power, and how you can do the same.
Excavation – Stopping the Fear and Finding the Facts
When Moustapha first arrived in Veronetta, he did what most of us do: he believed the rumors. Everyone said the neighborhood of Veronetta was “dangerous.” Even as a migrant himself, he was afraid to walk through those streets.
“I remember how they defined Veronetta as a dangerous area,” Moustapha told Obehi. “Hearing Italians say they couldn’t walk here, I also thought it was real. I was one of those people who didn’t want to cross through Veronetta.”
But then, Moustapha did something brave. He did what Obehi calls Excavation. He stopped listening to the “gossip” and went to the police headquarters (the Questura) to ask for the actual numbers.
The Discovery: The police data showed that Veronetta actually had much less crime than the “rich” parts of the city center. The only reason people thought it was dangerous was that there were many immigrants living there. People were confusing “different faces” with “danger.”
The Lesson for You: What “dangerous” labels have people put on you or your neighborhood? Are you holding yourself back because you believe a lie? When you dig for the facts (Excavation), you often find that your biggest “weakness” is actually a hidden strength.
Translation – Seeing the Hidden Money
Moustapha noticed something that most people ignored. While the newspapers were calling immigrants a “problem,” the local Italian landlords were quietly getting rich because of them.
“Italians who lived in Veronetta left their old houses and rented them to immigrants. They went to buy a new house in Borgo Trento, and they used the rent money from the immigrants here to pay their new mortgage over there.”
The Translation: Moustapha realized that the Diaspora wasn’t a “burden” on the city. They were the economic engine. They were the ones paying the mortgages of the local residents.
The Lesson for You: In Obehi’s framework, Translation means changing the way you describe yourself. You aren’t just a “migrant worker”; you are a “key economic contributor.” When you understand your value, you stop asking for favors and start making deals.
Alignment – The “World Laboratory”
Moustapha believes that if you want to understand the future of the world, you don’t go to a university, you go to Veronetta. He calls the neighborhood a Laboratory.
“This is a laboratory for whoever is interested in learning about the phenomenon of immigration… in Veronetta, you see all ethnicities, all races. If you want to know about the phenomenon, you must come here and do a project.”
He noticed that while the adults were struggling with paperwork and jobs, the children were doing something amazing: Alignment. The Ghanaian, Nigerian, Senegalese, and Moroccan kids were all playing together, forming groups, and talking. They were building a “new world” while the adults were still worried about the “old” one.
The Lesson for You: Look at where you live. Whether you are in London, New York, or Verona, you are in a “Laboratory” of life. Stop seeing the “mix of cultures” as a mess, and start seeing it as a place to learn how to lead people from all over the world.
Creation – The Power of a Simple “Hello”
How do you build a big organization or a successful brand? Moustapha says it starts with Respect and Education. He doesn’t judge the Brazilians drinking a beer or the Sri Lankans sitting on a bench. He talks to them.
“Every person has a story, has something to say… go there, greet them with calm, with education, with respect. This allows you to understand their problems. You cannot judge people without knowing them.”
The Lesson: Creation is about building relationships. Moustapha created the largest migrant coordination group in the city by simply listening to people’s stories. In your career, your “Asset” is your ability to connect with people that others are too afraid to talk to.
Legacy – Protecting the Children
Moustapha’s final point is about the future. He knows that if parents are stressed and discriminated against, that “poison” can drop down onto their children.
“We are parents. We have problems, and our problems fall on our children. But when I see the kids forming groups together, I see hope.”
The Lesson: The whole point of the Story to Asset™ framework is to make sure your children inherit a Fortress of Peace instead of a “battlefield.” By turning his journey into a professional role as a Union Leader, Moustapha is building a legacy where his children can be proud of who they are.
Why Does This Matter to You Today?
Moustapha Wagne’s story, recorded by Obehi Ewanfoh, is a reminder that you are not who they say you are.
- You are not a “dangerous” statistic.
- You are not a “burden” on the economy.
- You are a Leader in a Laboratory, learning how the future works.
Are You Ready to Stop Being a “Tenant” in Your Own Life?
If you are a member of the African Diaspora, whether you are an entrepreneur, a student, or a professional, you have a story. But right now, that story might be “raw data.” You need a way to turn it into an Asset that pays you and protects your family.
This is exactly why Obehi Ewanfoh created AClasses Academy.
We don’t just teach “business skills.” We teach Narrative Sovereignty. We help you:
- Excavate the hidden value in your life story.
- Translate your experience into a message the world will pay for.
- Align your goals with the right people.
- Create high-impact content and businesses.
- Legacy: Build a name that your children will be proud to carry.
Visit AClasses Academy Today and Take the “Story to Asset” Course
Don’t let the “newspapers” or the “rumors” define your journey. Take control of your narrative. Like Moustapha Wagne, turn your neighborhood and your life into a laboratory for success.
