Feeling the Power of Belonging in Ghana

Ghana was one of the most powerful and emotional experiences of this entire journey. For the first time in my life, I was surrounded by people who looked like me everywhere I went. From the billboards and shop signs to the waiters, security guards, and business owners, every face reflected a version of me that I rarely get to see represented back home. It was powerful to walk through spaces where Blackness was not an exception but the norm. I did not have to think about standing out or being the only one in the room. I could just exist.

Seeing people of color in every role, from the most ordinary jobs to positions of leadership, made me feel a sense of pride and belonging that words can hardly describe. It reminded me that there are places in the world where we are not defined by our difference but celebrated for who we are. It also made me reflect on how often I have had to navigate spaces where my presence felt questioned or tokenized. In Ghana, I felt seen and understood without having to explain myself. That feeling of belonging, of being part of something larger than myself, will stay with me long after this voyage ends.

Pic of our port in Ghana!