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Ania's Reflections in preparation for the Dakar-Gorée Swim in September 2025 in Dakar, Senegal.
In preparing to swim from Dakar, the capital of Senegal to Gorée Island, in the upcoming La Traversée Dakar-Gorée in September 2025—an event organized by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Natation et de Sauvetage, now in its 36th annual edition—I am deeply mindful of the immense historical weight these waters carry. They are the same waters where countless enslaved individuals lost their lives during the transatlantic slave trade: some thrown overboard at the very start of their forced voyage, others who chose to leap into the ocean rather than endure enslavement, and many who were discarded or torn from their families during the brutal process on Gorée Island. The island stands as a solemn symbol of that suffering, and I approach these waters with remembrance and a recognition of our shared humanity.
As a woman of Polish birth and white skin, I am aware of the privilege I hold—specifically, the privilege of societal advantages under systemic racism, and the freedom from ancestral ties to the transatlantic slave trade. Alongside this awareness, my life has been deeply shaped by the African diaspora and by my experiences living on the African continent—through friendships and mentors; through capoeira, which continues to be a source of spiritual strength; through my family and the communities in Senegal who welcomed me; and through the wisdom of my professors, colleagues, and leaders of the Mecca, at Howard University.
Alongside my dear friends Vanessa, Vonetta, Lalla, Brenda, and Susanne—each with their own ancestral ties to this history—we gathered in a shared moment of reflection, rooted in sisterhood, prior to my journey. During our Reflection Energy Circle, Vonetta lovingly wove an anklet for me to wear, infusing it with the collective energy of our gathering, a thread of connection—together, we blend our energies and infuse a spirit of acknowledgement, respect, love, and gratitude into what I will carry into those waters. This is our collective way of honoring the spirits of those who perished and acknowledging the history that continues to shape this place and the world today.
I will also carry with me the memory of Brenda’s ancestors. Her people passed through a Door of No Return—perhaps even at Gorée. Her ancestors endured unimaginable loss and survived so that their descendants, including Brenda, could live. She has entrusted me with a small box inscribed with the names of twelve of her grandmothers, which I will release into the water, honoring Bessie Allen, Pocahontas Hill, Josephine Johnson, Charlesanna Brown, Mary Emma Green, Ambler Mann, Kate Jones, Maryann Brown, Ellen Clarke, Julia, Rebecca, and Eliza.
Ms. Oni Sarah Spratt
In that spirit of remembrance, I will also be honoring the wish of Ms. Oni Sarah Pratt, who faithfully served the Department of African Studies at Howard University, by scattering a part of her ashes in these waters. Honoring her memory with love and gratitude during this crossing.
During this swim, I will also honor the memory of Dr. Mbye Cham, my mentor at Howard University, a son of The Gambia, the founder of the Center for African Studies, who passed weeks prior to my journey. He devoted his life to bridging Africa and its diaspora, and his legacy of scholarship, humanity, and his spirit of connection continues to inspire and guide us.
Dr. Mbye Cham
This swim is not only a passage of endurance, but a crossing of memory, respect, sisterhood, love, and healing.
Ania Molejo Ueno
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