Power Names: A Practice in Empowerment
You might feel a bit confused when you first hear someone’s power name as they join Project Koru’s community. While the process might seem unusual or even a little off-putting at first, it’s a special tradition. And no, this isn’t summer camp! Like many things at PK, what may appear fun, silly, or lighthearted on the surface actually carries deep intention and purpose.
For young adults living with or surviving cancer, there are no days off from the experience. You may try to hold onto who you were before the diagnosis, but cancer often changes us in profound and individual ways. These changes can go unnoticed by the world around us; we may look the same, but feel entirely different inside. This is where empowerment becomes essential. At Project Koru, we believe in reclaiming the narrative of survivorship by recognizing and embracing the transformations that cancer brings.
One powerful way we foster this empowerment is through the creation of power names. Naming things in life can hold immense power. Phrases like “I am sad” or “I am angry” can validate and express our inner experiences, giving us the language to own our emotions. In the same way, creating a power name allows people to name and claim a new part of themselves. It’s therapeutic and symbolic—a way to take ownership of your journey, not just as a cancer survivor but as a person transformed by the experiences we have in life.
Here are some prompts we use to help people think about their power name:
Think of something you’ve never been called before, but that reflects an aspect of your identity—but not a part of your name in daily life.
A power name is more than a nickname. What does “power” mean to you?
Where do you draw strength from?
What part of yourself could this name express or symbolize?
It’s an opportunity to step into a new part of who you are.
When folks come to Project Koru, they get the chance to step away from daily life’s stressors and focus on themselves. You’re meeting a group of people for the first time—people who don’t know your past, your story, your successes, or your struggles. You begin this relationship by sharing a part of who you are, who you’re becoming, or something that helps you navigate life. A power name can feel like an alter ego, a second identity that allows you to explore and express yourself in a new way. It allows you to see yourself or others in a different light, connecting deeply to an aspect of your personality.
Take me, for example: my name is Bull. Though with my accent, some people initially think I’m saying “Bowl”—which would also work since I love to eat! My name, Bull, has layers of meaning. I draw inspiration from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, whose logo is a bull’s head. Even before treatment, I was motivated by his sayings like “Blood, Sweat, Respect” and “Do the Work,” believing that I, too, could tackle hard things. Loved ones gifted me his clothing with the bull logo before my treatment began, and I wore it like armor as I entered the cancer center each day, determined to fight and put in the hard work. I still carry that determination with me today, whether I’m lifting weights or going to therapy to confront emotional challenges. Being bull-headed reflects the grit I bring to all I do.
Another layer of my name comes from the Chicago Bulls. I grew up in the Jordan era in Chicagoland, and while I had drifted away from basketball for a while, I found myself reconnecting with the Bulls while resting on the couch during treatment. The excitement for watching the Bulls also connects me with my little brother, who is a huge fan of the game and the Bulls. He stepped up in a way I will be eternally grateful for when he dropped everything and flew across the country to take care of me during a really heavy treatment cycle, bonding us together even deeper as siblings.
Some people’s power names have a serious tone, while others are playful and bring lightness to who they are. What they all have in common is that the process of choosing one is meaningful and far more than just picking a nickname—it is a way of empowering yourself, claiming your story, and stepping into the person you’ve become . If you ever meet someone from Project Koru, ask them about their power name. You might just uncover another layer of who they are, and the complexity of their journey as a person.
-Jesse “Bull” Eriksen
