Support my vision of liberation and self-love in black communities!

Hello! I am Khepera Lyons-Clark, a 17-year-old high-schooler from Oakland California. I am currently fundraising to be apart of the upcoming Cinnamongirl summer trip to Senegal, Africa.

Growing up in the Bay Area, I am constantly surrounded by the socioeconomic and racial injustices of the area, as well as the many conversations about those injustices and the ways to fix them. Although the conversations are important, it is too easy to fall into a victim complex when discussing race and feel powerless to change the conditions in which we live.

We are too often reminded of the things holding us back and we can forget all of the positive attributes we do have.

I am a self-proclaimed proponent of liberation and self-love in black communities. However, being surrounded by the constant conversations about negative aspects in my community, not just from the larger societal institutions but from the community itself, makes it hard to propagate the self-love in the communities I am a part of and feel so deeply about. The Cinnamongirl program has offered me a different perspective! Through the continuous exposure to successful people who looked like I do, Cinnamongirl has given me the tools to focus on what I can accomplish, rather than what inhibits me.

This upcoming trip to Senegal will further allow me to see my identity outside of the negative connotations that are attached to it in the United States. Being in a place where black people are not the minority will enforce the mindset of empowerment, rather than subjugation because of one's blackness. In Senegal, I will be able to fuel my love for my blackness and also more clearly see the impact of colonialism on identity in a way that is harder to see while in America. I will bring my experiences back to further empower my school and larger communities.

While in Senegal, I hope to create a photo series focusing on the relationship between the people and the land in Senegal. Through this project, I hope to bring light to the nuances between people and the natural environments they live in back to America as well as capture the comfortability of black people in nature, something that is not portrayed often. I am planning to do a local photo exhibit presentation that highlights what I've learned about the relationship between land and people in Senegal upon my return and can't wait for you to view it! If you would love to be a part of making this dream a reality, your financial contribution will carry my dreams to fruition! I am so thankful for your contribution towards this amazing opportunity!