Kali Williams' Story
Throughout this experience I gained as well as heightened a plethora of skills. This program emphasizes leadership skills which I was truly able to advance and exhibit during this experience. Thankfully because I was blessed with the opportunity to participate in CELPS 2024, I had an idea of how the program would run and the opportunity to mentor my peers. Throughout this learning experience I also developedmy cross-cultural communication skills. We had the opportunity to spend a greatamount of time with the T.A Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) students and staff allowing us plenty of time to fortify a lasting connection. I also feel as though I had a great opportunity to expand my professional skills through the presentation we created and shared with the TAMCC team. My role throughout the presentation was sharing the history of African Nova Scotians which I am extremely passionate about and was extremely honoured to have that responsibility. Upon completing my educational career I hope to open an Afrocentric academic institution, through having the opportunity to visit TAMCC it empowered me as well as physically represented that my dream can become a reality and I may even have an awesome partnership to look forward to with not only TAMCC but NSCC as well.
I was surprised to learn that both Grenada and Nova Scotia were both colonized by the French and British who fought over the land for quite some time with lasting cultural remnants of both. This includes but isn’t limited to their architecture, language/terminology and history with the Transatlantic Slave Trade were all extremely similar. Here, African Nova Scotians use the term Cornrows while our Grenadian brothers and sisters use the term Canerows, noting the differences in the goods our ancestors were forced to farm. We knew many of the songs the Grenadian students shared with us and even had very similar cultural dishes. Grenada's national dish “Oil Down” is extremely similar to African Nova Scotians “Boiled Dinner”. I found many more similarities than differences which allowed me to adapt quickly and successfully. One of the major differences is the passionate carnivals and other events used to. celebrate Grenada’s African ancestors. I find for myself as an African Nova Scotian it can be extremely difficult to see our culture expressed and celebrated throughout the streets in our city, province or country. We are often ignored and dismissed being in a predominantly white society that has oppressed us since our ancestors were invited here. Being in Grenada it seemed to be like what I imagine Nova Scotia would look like, if all 52 historic African Nova Scotian communities were established side by side. One of the teachers at TAMCC reminded me so much of my Grandfather it was just as if he had accompanied us. Participating in this opportunity has changed me drastically as a professional through providing me with the opportunity to expand on my cross-cultural skills, my leadership skills have also grown exceedingly as I was the only student in the group whom had experience partici[ating in an NSCC International Learning Experience, specifically CELPS ‘24 my peers truly looked to me for my guidance which I was eager to offer and they were able to rely on my prior knowledge. Throughout this opportunity I was also provided the opportunity to expand upon my public speaking/presentation skills. Many Grenadians had questions about African Nova Scotian history which I’ve studied intensely independently over the last 7 years. This learning experience additionally allowed me to further my interpersonal communication skills, while we did lots of in person discussions we still relied heavily on digital communication such as PowerPoint, email, WhatsApp and phone calls. Walking away from this experience I feel more confident in myself and my identity as an African Nova Scotian. The ways in which this opportunity has changed me personally are almost too great to be expressed through words. This program provided an extremely refreshing and much needed authentic cultural exchange, I had the ability to connect with my NSCC peers and form friendships we’ve brought back home. In Grenada I now have a large group of friends excitedly awaiting our return that go hand in hand with collegiate connections I hope to have for life. As an Early Childhood Education student my thought process and imagination have been ignited with new thoughts/ ideas accompanied with being a spoken word artist and blooming photographer, Grenada has marked the beginning of a new chapter in my artistic creations. I’ve found a second home in Grenada, they even have a Halifax Harbour!