My Ancestral Journey

My DNA reveals a profound tapestry of African identity and survival, connecting me to Nigeria, Benin-Togo, Cameroon, Central West Africa, and Southern Bantu peoples. These regions align with sovereign civilizations disrupted by slavery—powerful kingdoms like Mali, Kongo, and Benin that thrived before colonization.

I also trace connections to Portugal and Brazil—two nations deeply tied to the transatlantic slave trade. Portuguese ships were among the first to carry enslaved Africans to the Americas, particularly Brazil, where many of our ancestors’ stories were lost, renamed, or erased. My DNA matches connect me to Brazilian regions like Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Sergipe—states with deep histories of Afro-Brazilian survival and resistance.

Rupert’s Valley & My Legacy

Rupert’s Valley on the island of St. Helena holds sacred meaning for me. Over 25,000 Africans were intercepted there by the British Royal Navy from illegal slave ships. Many died and were buried in unmarked graves. My ancestry reflects the path of those who may have crossed through that valley—an ancestral link to liberation, resilience, and remembrance.

DNA matching confirms this connection—some of my closest genetic matches come from the remains of Africans buried in Rupert’s Valley. These samples reflect individuals forcibly taken from West and Central Africa, some matching my profile by over 30%. Their DNA lives on through me, and I carry their memory with honor.

Sephardic Jewish Heritage

My DNA also holds traces of Sephardic Jewish ancestry—descendants of Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal during the Inquisition. Many Sephardic Jews settled in West Africa and Brazil, where their culture and bloodlines merged with African and Indigenous people. This layer of my heritage speaks to forced exile, religious persecution, and diaspora survival across centuries.

As I explore this lineage, I recognize the shared pain of displacement and the resilience of diasporic communities. The threads of faith, resistance, and cross-cultural memory are woven into my roots.

Purpose Through Ancestry

This project is more than personal—it’s a spiritual responsibility. I carry the memory of those who endured, resisted, and survived. By honoring their truth, I seek healing not only for myself but for all who descend from stolen lineages. My story is part of our collective memory. Blood remembers—so must we.

Even the smallest details—like a <1% trace of Northeast Asian ancestry—remind me that nothing about our existence is random. We are the sum of migrations, traditions, and unfinished stories. My life’s work is to give voice to those stories and pass them forward with dignity.