In a community‑driven effort that began in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8, the United Association of Muurs and Sadiki Educational Safari Inc. raised enough money to purchase five‑year passports and plane tickets for a group of local teens. The youth spent a week in Colombia, visiting the historic free Black town of San Basilio de Palenque and learning about Afro‑Maroon history, language and culture.
Passport acquisition as a rite of passage
The program’s organizers coordinated fundraising, neighborhood outreach and mentorship to cover the cost of passports for participants who had never left the United States. For many, the process of applying at the Colombian Embassy in D.C., navigating airport security and crossing international borders became a meaningful rite of passage, underscoring the constitutional right to travel and the power of documentation.
Learning from Colombia’s first free Black settlement
In San Basilio de Palenque, the teens met Afro‑Colombian families, shared meals, and heard stories of the town’s founding by Benkos Biohó, an escaped enslaved man who organized a maroon community in the 17th century. Participants likened Biohó’s courage to that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., drawing a direct line between historic resistance in Colombia and the civil‑rights movement in the United States.
Students also observed the stark contrast between the rural resources of Palenque and the more developed urban centers such as Medellín. The experience highlighted how race, geography and economic inequality intersect across borders, prompting the youth to consider how structural marginalization affects Black communities worldwide.
Building bridges in Cartagena and Medellín
Beyond Palenque, the group visited schools in Cartagena, engaging in cultural exchanges focused on ecotourism and mutual learning. In Medellín, they partnered with Corpo Afro Rosa Parks en Defensa de las Mujeres Afrodescendientes, a local organization that supports Afro‑Colombian women. Through dance, music and shared storytelling, the Washington, D.C. teens and their Colombian peers forged connections that transcended language barriers.
Personal reflections from the travelers
Thirteen‑year‑old Ahkirah, a Ward 8 resident, expressed gratitude for the community’s support in securing her passport and noted that traveling alone for the first time taught her confidence and a sense of global citizenship. Brianna Bender, also 13, admitted she expected the trip to be “boring” but found it “really fun,” especially meeting Afro‑Colombian children and witnessing the resource gaps between Palenque and larger cities.
Both girls emphasized the importance of learning the host country’s language and spending more time with local youth in future trips, underscoring the program’s role in fostering empathy, cultural awareness and a broader worldview among D.C.’s next generation.
Community impact and future plans
Organizers view the initiative as a model for how grassroots fundraising, intergenerational mentoring and a shared cultural vision can expand opportunities for underserved youth. By turning passport acquisition into a communal act of love and investment, the program demonstrates how local faith‑based and family‑centered values can empower young people to explore their heritage and develop a lifelong commitment to service.
Original reporting: The Washington Informer — read the source article.
