For Naya Welcher, C’2025, the two weeks she spent in Accra, Ghana, deepened her relationship with God and taught her more about herself and her heritage as an African American.
“Ghana was a life-changing opportunity. In trying traditional foods, meeting Ghanaian families, and visiting the market, I was immersed in experiences different than mine,” said Welcher. “I thought my relationship with God was completely separate from Africa, but that was not true. I saw different ways to honor and celebrate Jesus in a country that felt very connected to its heritage.”
While abroad, she took multiple courses that contextualized Ghanaian culture and politics, allowing her to draw parallels between Ghanaians and Black Americans. From her time in Accra, Welcher said she came to appreciate the community’s emphasis on familial care and respect for elders. 
“I am interested in understanding what freedom means for Black people. Traveling to Ghana gave context for what freedom and oppression can look like outside America,” said Welcher, a mathematics major from Stone Mountain. “I learned more about modern-day implications of colonialism and what it looks like to be physically free but economically bound.”
Welcher is on the pre-law track at Spelman. After graduation, she plans to apply to law school with the goal of bringing freedom to her community.