About ɔkom

You're scrolling. You find an organisation doing something extraordinary — a gallery in Accra, a collective in South London, a food platform in Lagos, a fellowship in Kigali. You think: more people need to know about this. And then: why is there nowhere that holds all of this together?

That feeling has a name. In Twi, ɔkom means hunger — the kind that moves you. The longing for something you know should exist.

ɔkom is the answer to that feeling.

ɔkom is a living directory of Black and Pan-African organisations, platforms, collectives, studios, institutions and brands — from across the continent and the diaspora.

It is not a social media platform. It is not a news feed. It is something quieter and more durable: a place where the full breadth of what Black people are building can be found, named and celebrated.

Arts and culture. Music. Food and land. Education. Technology. Fashion. Architecture. Community. Finance. Design. If it is being built by us, for us, it belongs here.

Alongside the directory, ɔkom carries Ago: a live feed of announcements, open calls, exhibitions, residencies, opportunities and launches from organisations in the directory.

Ago is a word used across Pan-African traditions as a ritual call — the announcement that clears space before something important is said. Every time an organisation posts to Ago, it is saying: we are here. Pay attention. This matters.

The call-and-response is yours to complete.

ɔkom was founded by Akworkor Thompson, a Cultural Architect and curator with roots in Ghana and the Caribbean diaspora. Her work spans consultancy, curatorial practice, education and ecosystem building across the UK, Ghana and the wider African diaspora.

ɔkom grew out of years of scrolling, discovering, sharing and thinking: this should be somewhere. This should be findable. This should not depend on the algorithm.

Browse the directory. Filter by sector, region or org type. Follow organisations doing work that matters to you. Share their listings. And if you know of an organisation that belongs here — submit it. ɔkom is only as complete as the community that tends it.

Every organisation listed on ɔkom is verified as Black-led or Pan-African in ownership and leadership. We do not list organisations that are merely Black-focused or Black-serving without Black leadership at the centre.

We verify before we publish. If you submit an org, we will review it before it goes live.