Cultural Reconnection: Return to the African Homeland

Cultural Reconnection connects with African cultures that sheds insights on African American identity as African Americans. Cultural Reconnection leads to empowered communities who are better connected with their roots and builds capacity in the African homeland and its Diaspora.  We will examine how cultural disconnection occurred and why reconnection is necessary as a protracted process. We discuss how thoughtful engagement and dialogue is a way to reconnect with our own identity through going back to the roots.

This workshop will report the experiences of over 100 African Americans who traveled to Kenya East Africa as part of a movement called Cultural Reconnection. This movement was established in Seattle Washington more than two decades ago as part of a longitudinal study. The purpose of this travel examined African culture and possible retentions that are rooted in the African American experience. It is a process that builds capacity and collective efficacy relying on the importance of cultural identity to push forward existential movements. We take time to explain how the seasoning process made it possible to undergo enslavement and denigration that continues to stifle the excellence of Black people. The workshop will demonstrate videos, photos and stories from the perspective of Environment, Business, Education and Health while in Kenya East Africa.

This workshop is presented by African American Kenyan Women's Interconnect (AAKEWO). Delegations to Kenya have been ongoing since 2000 in support of Black people returning to Africa to gain a better understanding of their identity.

Dr. Marcia Tate Arunga has led experiential travel to Kenya East Africa for 20 years. She is a member of the Vision and Planning team for AAKEWO  and serves as the Dean of The Evergreen State College, Tacoma Campus.

Onya Robertson is a member of the AAKEWO Vision and Planning team. She works for the Washington State Office of Equity.

Dr. Joye Hardiman has an extensive background traveling around the African continent. A member of the Vision and Planning Team, she is the former executive director of The Evergreen State College - Tacoma. 

Alma Bone Constable is a member of the Vision and Planning Team of AAKEWO. As an inventor, she founded solar lamp kits for students to study without lights in Kenya.

Benita Horn is a member of the Vision and Planning Team and the administrator for AAKEWO. She is a organizational consultant for local governments and the Association of Washington Cities.