Out of Africa: Dominguez Hills Students Visit the Motherland

For many African American students, the idea of Africa is an almost abstract mystery, its existence practically overlooked in their early years of education.

“I felt ignorant because I didn’t know much about the history of South Africa, and about apartheid,” says senior Pernell Jones (Health Sciences). “Our world history was World War I and World War II and that was it. In our education system, we should have world history that included all the continents.”

I felt like I was between two cultures. Am I African, or am I American, or am I both? - Gayleah Richmond, senior (Human Services)

This summer, Jones and senior Gayleah Richmond (Human Services) had the chance to learn more about their cultural origins by way of educational and service opportunities that gave them an experience above and beyond their original purpose. Jones spent three months in Cape Town, South Africa in the Penn State University Minorities in International Research Training Program, and Richmond went to Kenya for three weeks, as a missionary for More Than Conquerors, an
intervarsity Christian fellowship for CSU Dominguez Hills and Compton College students.

“If you’re of African descent, you have ties there,” says Richmond. “Everybody from here has something to give back
to Africa,” she says. “Once you realize that, you’ll feel that much more connected to where your ancestors came from.”

In a conversation with Richmond and Jones, Dateline got a glimpse into the realities of Africa today, as seen through the eyes of two students who look forward to making a difference.

Dateline: What made you realize you were far from home?

Gayleah Richmond: What made me realize that I was far from home was seeing so many black people, the Africans. I had never been around that many in my life.

The environment was peaceful and laid back. And the way people treat you. If you needed something, instead of saying, “It’s right around the corner,” they would literally walk you there to make sure you found it.

What we consider poverty is nothing compared to theirs. And even though they are poor, they still have joy. I thought,‘How can you live in a slum, not have a school to go to, and still have so much more joy than I’ve ever had in my entire
life?’ They have a greater hope than we have in this country.

Pernell Jones: I knew I was in a totally different environment when they were driving cars on what we would call the wrong side of the road. You can’t say that after actually living there, that’s their side of the road. It’s not wrong, it’s just different. And the language. I tried to learn Xhosa (clicking language), Afrikaans and Zulu. They have 11 official languages, very beautiful languages.

GR: The primary language of Kenya is English, all schools are conducted in English. The national language is Kiswahili, and most people know a tribal language. Most of the kids know three languages.

Dateline: What reminded you of home?

PJ: I stayed with two families while I was there. The father of one of the families really acted like a father figure toward me. If I was going out somewhere in Cape Town, he would ask, “Where are you going? Who are you going with?” just
to make sure that I made it around safely.

GR: Definitely family. At night, we would all get together and they would make dinner for us. You go into the kitchen and talk about everything that went on that day, just like at home here. Also, the children, especially the little ones. I love little kids, and those kids were exactly the same as the ones here. They ask the same exact questions, they do the exact same things.

Our cultures are very similar. Everything is centered around food, and the kitchen is the main meeting spot. As African Americans, soul food is our pride and joy. You’re not just cooking, you’re feeding the soul at the same time. It’s the
same thing there. They cook because they love you, and you can feel the love when you eat their food.

Dateline: How did people respond to you and the reason you were there?

GR: The response was something I would never expect. They saw me as a white American, because I am a light-skinned African American woman. It was harder for me than for them, when I found out they thought that. At first, I felt rejected, but once they realized I am also black, and that my ancestors were brought from Africa to America, that made it easier. A lot of people that we encountered didn’t even know that there were blacks in America, they thought they were all wiped out, and that the only true Africans are from Africa.

I felt like I was between two cultures. Am I African, or am I American, or am I both? I still don’t know.

PJ: A kid asked me what I was there for, and I told him, “I feel that you’re my people, and I feel a sense of connection.” And that’s really the truth. The other reason was that I got a scholarship to study AIDS there. But I didn’t really feel
comfortable saying that to everyone. It would be like saying, “I’m here to help you out because you’re living in the darkness and you don’t know how to control HIV.” I didn’t want to express that.

A guy named Ferdinand made an interesting point. He said, “Man, all we hear is HIV. All we hear about is AIDS, and everybody coming out with different studies and saying ‘Don’t do this, don’t do that.’” He expressed that he was sick
of it, and didn’t want to listen to it anymore.

For the longest time, I asked myself, “Who am I trying to help? Would this research project really help the AIDS epidemic?” That was eating away at me, and I still don’t know the answer. I was there a limited time, but I feel that what I can do to help right now is learning, and bringing information back, to make America aware enough to do something. I want to educate people who may become decision makers in the future, or who may hold government positions, who can help.

Dateline: How is education perceived?

GR: In 2003, they passed a countrywide law, where all elementary schools would be free. Before that, you had to pay to send your children to school.

Education is very serious. If you don’t do your homework, you get caned. The kids are very motivated to go to school. They love school because they know that with education, they’ll go a lot further in life and be able to do a lot more. They’re there from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., no complaints, no problems. They’re obedient and study hard outside of school. They are very fast learners. If they don’t know something now, they will know it the next day.

PJ: I think maybe because education was not always free, they take it a lot more seriously than we do here. Don’t get me wrong, they’re not all straight-A students. But if they have the money and resources, they will continue into college.
They want an education, they want to go out and succeed and come back to help their communities.

GR: We met a group of college students who are social workers. They go around and check on the people who are stricken with AIDS. They say, “We want to stay in our community, this is our culture. This is our village where we grew up, so we
want to stay here and help.”

Here in America, we know that with education you can do so much more. That is something in common between the two cultures, is something everybody wants. But it’s different for the Africans, because they want to be educated so they can come back and help their community. It’s not a question of where they’re going to go when they graduate. They know they’re going to go back home.

PJ: You have a moral obligation to come back to your community and help develop it. Somebody else let you in, and opened doors for you in that community so you could succeed. The least you can do is share that with one other person.

Dateline: How are issues of race addressed in Africa?

PJ: Some of their history is confusing, like ours. They still have a bit of underlying racism. People still say ‘black’ or ‘colored’ South Africans, giving some kind of generalization about them.

Our supervisor was a white South African, a very good woman. I may have had a couple of issues with race in the past, but she helped open my eyes to see that not all white people are ignorant and racist. I learned a lot from her about both the
black and white aspects of South Africa. She knew a lot about the history of both sides in South Africa.

We might not know where the exact location of our African lineage, but just to be on that continent, where our previous histories developed and our civilization started, was an honor. Although colonization ripped Africa and the Americas apart,
we need to acknowledge it, we need to learn from it, and we need to keep moving forward. More and more, I can look around and say, ‘Hey, we’re all just people.’

Dateline: What will you always remember from this trip to Africa?

GR: When I was there, it was more about meeting basic needs as opposed to sharing the gospel of Christ with people. I can tell you, “Jesus loves you,” all day long, but if your basic needs are not being met, then I really can’t reach you. Once
those needs were met, they had more hope in God.

I met a woman named Umei, a divorced mother of three. She taught primary school to about 25 students. Within the year, half her class had died of AIDS. She has taken 10 of the remaining students into her home, with her own children, in a two-room shack. I asked her how she makes money. She replied, “I do odd jobs on the weekend for people, laundry, or hauling things like water.” I asked her how much her rent was. She replied, “About 1,000 shillings per month.” In American dollars, that’s $20 a month.

That is the amount I spend on fast food in one week. Who knew that amount could pay someone’s rent? Twelve American dollars is enough to feed somebody with AIDS, bring them medicine, and get them transportation to the doctor.

Umei told me that, “If I didn’t take these ten kids, they would be on the streets with no one helping them.” They call her“Teacher” at school and “Mom” at home. Her strength is something that I have never seen in anyone before. She is my
inspiration to bring hope to others.

PJ: I will never forget hanging out with two awesome young black women, my roommates. One was from Chicago and the other was from Philadelphia. I’ll never forget going through this whole experience with them, talking to other black folks with them, and taking everything in together.

The Africans expressed negative and positive attitudes about America and African Americans, and I wanted to hear both sides. I didn’t want anyone to sugarcoat. We would discuss a lot of political issues and find similarities and differences about the way African people are treated throughout the world.

Even the negatives were still positive, because you got to see their point of view, and I respect that. I talk to a lot of people still, and it’s great to come back to Dominguez Hills and share a story like this.

I miss living there. While looking at old pictures, I will find myself thinking, “I was actually living there.”

Dateline: What are you going to do with what you learned in Africa?

GR: Before going to Africa, I thought I was poor, but my definition of poverty has changed. I am rich. I have so many opportunities. I am in college, while in Kenya most people can’t afford to pay for high school.

For now, I continue to support the organizations there on a monthly basis. I still send money and care packages once a month, of school supplies, medical supplies, hygiene supplies. It’s so simple.

In deciding to go on this mission, I wanted to see if this work is something I would consider as a career. Seeking justice in a country that needs my help is something I see myself doing in the near future.

PJ: We know that a struggle is going on worldwide, the struggle with race relations, with poverty, just basic living conditions. It’s not just happening in America, it’s not just happening in Africa. It’s happening all over the world.

I think we need to be open, as Americans. And as a CSU campus, we need to be active and more involved with things like this struggle. I’m putting it out there.

Reported by Joanie Harmon-Whetmore

Photos above, top to bottom:

Richmond met these children, who live in the Mathari slum, near downtown Nairobi. Their mother died of AIDS and they stay at home alone while their father works. They are pictured with Sister Rozema, a nun who visits them weekly, and who was the students' guide in Mathari. Courtesy of Gayleah Richmond

Richmond bonded with girls at the Homeless International Kenya Orphanage in Oloitoktok. She and her fellow missionaries donated clothing and personal items, and also built the foundation for the orphanage’s school. Richmond writes, “They taught me to enjoy life, and to treat everyone like family. They also taught me what hope really is, they have an abundance of it.” Courtesy of Gayleah Richmond

Jones catches up in his journal on the white sands of Camps Bay Beach, Cape Town, following a hike. Courtesy of Pernell Jones

Umei, a Kenyan schoolteacher (third from left), inspired Richmond with her selflessness. A single mother of three, she took ten AIDS orphans into her two-room home, doing odd jobs to support all 13 children. Courtesy of Gayleah Richmond

Jones in Langa, outside of the downtown Cape Town area. His roommate, Joy Powell, and a Cape Town friend, known as“The Professor” are on their way to a traditional barbeque, known as “brai.” Courtesy of Pernell Jones

Jones on top of Table Mountain. He writes, “Anyone looking at pictures of Cape Town will always see Table Mountain. Its height surpasses the clouds.” Courtesy of Pernell Jones