My Columbia University experience has been a unique journey. Prior to coming to Columbia, I had not heard about the beautiful language of Wolof. At a language fair, I was persuaded by my current professor to take Wolof, one of the most commonly spoken languages in Senegal. As I began to learn Wolof I realized that there was an irresistible beauty to the language that felt so close to my being. I have always been a lover of languages. As a young Haitian-American man, I am one of the few members of my generation who can speak with my grandparents in Haitian Creole and French. The diaspora is important to my identity; it was important to my identity then, and it is important to me now.
I often wanted to unpack my identity in the classroom, using an academic setting to understand the global reach of my blackness. The diaspora also inspires thought surrounding the plurality of blackness and the many shapes and forms that become apparent throughout the world. The cancellation of the program then and now is refusing this experience to many students. What was offered in 2018 is quite different from what is being offered now. Studying abroad in Senegal under the guidance of Dr. Cheikh Thiam and Dr. Monika Brodnicka has allowed me to create a space for imagining a decolonial future in the realm of identity, history, globality, culture, and beyond.
In Wolof, there is a proverb that says “Nit, nitay garabam” or “A man’s medicine are the people.” While sitting in my wolof class at Columbia, I dreamed of eating Ceebu Jën and drinking midday ataaya. I sought after every opportunity to speak Wolof. I began to volunteer at Harlem Hospital, advocating for communities that are underserved called “Le Petit Senegal” that often get overlooked in the administration of public health. For example, the rate of infant mortality in Central Harlem is still more than eight times the rate in the Upper East Side. My experience in Senegal has provided me with the tools necessary to continue advocating for predominantly African communities in urban areas
I am looking forward to studying abroad with SIT. I am filled with great hope and optimism because I have the opportunity to build upon my previous coursework and expand my academic horizon. Throughout my time at Columbia I have been able to widen my worldview. In the same vein, I am excited about going to Senegal to hone my abilities as critical thinker, expand my cultural interests, and discover new passions
