I found myself in the Gambia, invited by my friend and brother, the renowned painter Chaz Guest. Chaz, along with Ben Vereen, had received an official invitation from the former president Yahya Jammeh. Their mission was to establish a cultural bridge between the Gambia and the United States. Banjul, the capital, is a vibrant city full of surprises. Tea, spices, colorful fruit, and vegetables filled the markets. Women carrying baskets full of mint leaves on top of their heads walked effortlessly through the crowd. At night time, music was everywhere. Bars were filled with the sound of percussion, singing, and the traditional sound of the Korah. We took a trip along the Gambia River up to Jufureh and on to Kunta Kinteh Island, the notorious, strategic holding fort and departure point for hundreds of thousands of enslaved Africans during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade from 1588 to 1807. I would spend the nights drinking tea brewed on an open fire, talking to the locals and listening to their stories. To listen is to learn.

Alex Elena