Sankofa Journey to Harmony is an intentionally multi-ethnic, experiential, and spiritual journey that will allow us to hear the histories of slavery and racial segregation and take us to important places in the Civil Rights movement. As we see and learn the history of racism and racial divides clearly, we can understand the impact on our society today. Throughout the journey, we will learn, understand, mourn, and repent together. And through the power of the Gospel, we will find hope as we come together in the Kingdom of God.
We are grateful to bring back the Sankofa Journey to Harmony trip in May of 2022!
This year’s Sankofa Journey to Harmony is led by Nina Barnes. Nina is the Vice President for Student Life and Human Resources at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul. She is a board member for Transform Minnesota and a previous trip participant. As a Black woman and respected leader in the Twin Cities, Nina will bring her personal life story and experiences as she leads this journey. She is an educator and a student of history; her passion is to help us see how history is directly tied to our current reality in society and the Church. She is uniquely gifted in facilitating conversations and learning experiences like Sankofa Journey to Harmony. During our four days together, we will learn a lifetime of knowledge and perspective from Nina.
Nina holds a Master of Arts degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership, along with numerous certifications including – Human Resources Management, Conflict Coaching & Mediation, and Christian Spiritual Direction. As a certified spiritual director, Nina considers it an honor and a sacred trust to help people navigate life while discovering purpose and meaning; work through challenges; develop as leaders; and experience transformation on the journey.
While previous Sankofa trips have focused primarily on one-on-one conversations with a travel partner, this year we are excited to expand our learning to include personal reflection, as well as small and large group conversations led by Nina as well as other renowned leaders who are joining us on the trip.
