Travel to Transform
In the Grey is eager to begin offering an opportunity for travel to Benin, West Africa to explore the dichotomy of rich, beautiful culture and the devastating legacy of the Atlantic Slave Trade. This opportunity is meant for all individuals and will include multi-racial and affinity group dialogue sessions.
What You Can Expect
Ten days in Benin, West Africa with two facilitators who will introduce you to a variety of cultural experiences, food, music, and history. Part of our trip will take place in Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin and the other part in Ouidah, a city that was the heart of the Atlantic slave trade and also serves as the center for the indigenous practice of vodun.
We recognize that a trip like this will elicit different emotions and reactions from different people. At the core of what we do, we believe that tangible experience leads to transformation and on this particular trip, we hope to give people a chance to reconnect to roots and walk in the footprints of their ancestors, who may have been those who were stolen from the land or those who stole from the land.
These experiences can be deep, meaningful, freeing, and heavy. As such, we will include regular opportunities for participants to dialogue as a group as well as opportunities for different racial/ethnic identities to meet in affinity groups. We recognize that the experiences of those in the African diaspora may experience this trip differently from those who are white and it is important that all particpants have a chance to reflect and hold space for one another.
Meet Your Facilitators
Keisha D. Kelley
Keisha is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a full-time Counselor at Bryn Mawr College. She’s a Philadelphia Native, with appreciation and love for her city! She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Kutztown University of PA and continued with a Master of Social Work degree from Fordham University in New York, NY. With over 15 years of counseling experience, Keisha has worked with adolescents, individuals, families, and veterans, and developed a passion for college students. She works from a strengths-based perspective and trauma-informed care. She has a professional interest in housing insecurity and supporting marginalized communities. She values family, community, and sisterhood, and is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. She has a personal interest in travel, exploration, music
concerts, and dance.
I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel
Maya Angelou
Suzen Wysor Nguema
Suzen is a social worker and Associate Professor at West Chester University near Philadelphia. She grew up right outside of the city, but has been a proud resident of Philly for nearly 20 years. Suzen’s primary areas of work have been in international social work education and white racial identity, but she’s worked in a variety of other fields including housing, legal services, and group work with adolescent girls. Suzen fell in love with Benin when she lived there for four months in 2007. It was the most transformative experience of her life. She currently lives with her husband, two sons, and pit bull. She enjoys learning languages, right now working on her French, Swahili and Yoruba skills and loves traveling. Her music tastes range from motown to mid-nineties grunge to 2000s hip-hop and RnB and Afrobeats.
To me, personally, there is no greater opportunity to transform then when you travel and literally get to walk in the footsteps of others
We expect our inagural travel to take place in Summer 2025. Sign up to receive updates and more information!