Since DNA testing kits arrived on the market, I have often wondered what it would be like to find out where I'm from beyond the little I know that starts in Alabama as a result of the slave trade. I hear my parents talk about what they know about our lineage beyond Alabama, but nothing is official. An Airbnb survey found that more than 50% of Americans have traveled to at least one country of their origin, which lets me know I'm not the only person with a heritage trip on their mind.
I for one imagine walking the streets of Africa and potentially seeing someone that shares my features.
This bucket list item might be easier to attain since Airbnb and 23andMe have partnered. What does the partnership mean? Well, simply put, when your DNA results arrive in a three to five week timeframe, you'll also get suggestions on homes you can rent through Airbnb in the same countries as your ancestors. Pretty convenient and little creepy, right?
Companies like Airbnb, 23andMe, and Ancestry (who already offers tours that focus on your roots in European countries) are looking to capitalize on the uptick in heritage travel, which is projected to be the biggest travel trend of 2019. Airbnb says that there has been a 500 percent increase in travelers using their service to trace their roots since 2014. With 78 percent of these trips taken in pairs or solo which the home-sharing company suggests means "these are introspective journeys or an important moment to share with a significant other."
Since DNA services like 23andMe and Ancestry are not always the most accurate for those of us of African descent, a black-owned service like African Ancestry can make an ideal travel guide as their test goes beyond telling us what continent we're from but can give details on your origin African Tribe(s).
Thanks to the Internet, we use these resources to plan our own trips to our home countries with the help of Airbnb and 23and Me's dedicated section housing pages that will allow you to plan your heritage travel adventure "end-to-end". No matter how you decide to explore your heritage, there are a wealth of options out there that will bring us closer to our history and uniqueness while fueling our travel dreams.
Check out the top DNA travel destinations (outside of the US and Canada) according to Airbnb and 23andMe:
1.Brazil
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2.United Kingdom
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3.Italy
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4.Nigeria
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5.Mexico
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6.Germany
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7.Ireland
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8.Mainland China
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9.France
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10.South Korea
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11.Spain
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12.India
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Featured image by Getty Images
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Camesha created the organization after her struggles with mental health and the lack of community she experienced. The Chicago native explains how she created Sista Afya to be rooted in “culturally grounded care.”
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“So at my organization, Sista Afya Community Care, we focus on providing mental health care through a cultural and gender lens,” she tells xoNecole. “So when we think about the term intersectionality, coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, we think about the multiple identities that lead to certain experiences and outcomes as it relates to Black women.
“So in the context of culturally grounded care, being aware of the cultural history, the cultural values, and then also the current issues that impact mental health outcomes.”
Words like “strong” and “independent” have long been associated with Black women for some time and many of us have begun to embrace the soft life and are using rest as a form of resistance. However, some of us still struggle with putting ourselves first and overall shedding the tainted image of the “strong, Black woman” that had been forced on us.
Camesha shares that while there’s more and more communities being created around empowerment and shared interests like running, she still questions, “are Black women really comfortable with being vulnerable about sharing their experiences?”
Being vulnerable with ourselves and others play an important role in healing the instinctive nature of always being “on” for everyone. “I'm currently facilitating a group on high functioning depression, and yesterday, we talked about how when Black women may be struggling or have shared their concerns with other people. They may be minimized, or they're told to just be strong, or it's not so bad, or I went through something worse back in Jim Crow era, so you should be thankful,” she explains.
“So I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people. So that is probably a very common theme. I think we've made a lot of progress when we talk about the superwoman syndrome, the mammy stereotype, the working hard stereotype, the nurturing stereotype. I think we're beginning to unpack those things, but I still see that we have definitely a long way to go in that area.”
I think there's a challenge with Black women being able to be honest, to be vulnerable and to receive the support that they need in the same capacity as how much they give support to other people.
Roman Samborskyi/ Shutterstock
While we’re unpacking those things, we know that we’re still women at the end of the day. So as we continue to serve in various roles like mothers, daughters, sisters, and caretakers, we have to make caring for ourselves a priority. Camesha reveals four ways we can still care for others without abandoning ourselves.
Trust
First things first, trust. Camesha explains, “Some of the burdens that Black women have can be linked to not feeling like you can trust people to carry the load with you.
“It's hard because people experience trauma or being let down or different experiences, but one of the things that I found personally is the more that I'm able to practice trust, the more I'm able to get my needs met. Then, to also show up as my best to care for other Black women.”
Know Your Limitations
Another thing Camesha highlighted is Black women knowing their limitations. “The other thing that I would like to bring up in terms of a way to care for yourself is to really know your limitations, or know how much you can give and what you need to receive,” she says.
“So often, what I see with Black women is giving, giving, giving, giving, giving to the point that you're not feeling well, and then not receiving what you need in return to be able to feel well and whole individually. So I really think it's important to know your limitations and know your capacity and to identify what it is that you need to be well.”
Don’t Take On A Lot Of Responsibilities
Next on the list is not taking on so many responsibilities, sharing herself as an example. “The other thing is taking on too much responsibility, especially in a time of vulnerability.
“One thing that I personally struggled with was being so passionate about community mental health for Black women, and saying yes to everything and taking on so much responsibility,” she reveals. “That affected me to do well in serving Black women and then also impacting my own well being.”
Practice Self-Care
Lastly, she notes the importance of practicing self-care. “The last thing is really practicing regular self care, regular community care, so that it's embedded into your daily life. So for me, having prepared meals, going to the gym, getting eight hours of sleep, spending time with friends and family, all of those things are part of my self care that keep me at my best,” she explains.
“Then community care, leaning into social networks or social groups, or spending time with other interests or hobbies. That's a part of my community care that keeps me going, so that I can take care of my needs, but also to be able to show up best in care for others.”
Find out more about Camesha and Sista Afya Community Care at communitycare.sistaafya.com.
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