I visited The Gambia, West Africa, for the first time in my mid-twenties while in college. I had only been on a plane once and had never traveled outside of the US. A self-proclaimed Pan Africanist, I couldn’t wait to go back to “The Motherland” and reclaim my ancestral heritage while working with youth and schools throughout the country. The six-week trip was deeply transformative. I was able to witness the majestic beauty along with the painful inequity of that country. I still speak of the experience as if it were yesterday. I began to learn how to really listen, still myself, and embrace the living all around me. I’ve been back to The Gambia several times since that initial visit and in other ways, have deepened my connection to the Motherland. At 30 years old, I was initiated into a West African priesthood whose teachings are a major part of my life. In this presentation, I will share insights from my “African journeys” and how they have liberated my being and brought me home.

Michelle Coghill Chatman, PhD (Iyalorisa Omo Olufina) is a cultural anthropologist who teaches undergraduate courses on African spirituality, Culture and Social Justice, and Urban Ethnography, at the University of the District of Columbia, in Washington, DC. As a contemplative educator, Michelle weaves mindfulness meditation, song, and reflective practices into her teaching to help facilitate students' deeper connection to course content, each other, and the broader world. She is an active member of the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education and served as a faculty member in their 11th Annual Summer Session on Contemplative Pedagogy at Smith College. Michelle is enthusiastic about spreading contemplative practices among her campus community and has shared her “Coltrane Meditation” in faculty development sessions and in her classes. She is particularly interested in exploring contemplative traditions within the African Diaspora and translating them into viable resources

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx