Our immersive trip to Ghana was an incredible, life-altering leadership experience. We embraced new perspectives, gained new connections, and were encouraged to continue to serve others.

The final day of the trip was the African Naming Ceremony. An African naming ceremony is more than tradition; it is a spiritual welcome home. It is the reclaiming of identity, the acknowledgment that even after generations of separation, displacement, and silence, you still belong. You are remembered. You are claimed. We began by getting dressed for the ceremony. The women were wrapped in white garments and head coverings, symbolizing purity, rebirth, and peace. The men also

The night felt like a celebration. Not just of the trip, but of connection, shared culture, and the relationships that had grown so naturally.

I hugged older women who held me close as if they’d known me forever. I held hands with little children, laughing as we all shared one small white toy car, passing it back and forth, completely content. We didn’t need much. We were just happy together.