Ashley Bryan, Sankofa, & the Stories We Carry

This summer, I found myself on Little Cranberry Island in Maine—wandering through its historic museum, scenic trails, and art-filled spaces. I came upon the Ashley Bryan Center, and suddenly I was standing in the presence of an artist whose spirit felt like kin.

I saw his home and the storyteller’s pavilion with its stained sea glass windows, puppets alive with community imagination, and panels shimmering with wisdom.

In the Islesford Congregational Church, my eyes fell on a tablecloth embroidered with Swahili words:

“Mola Ndiye Mwamuzi, Kumlaumu Siwezi.”

(The Almighty God is Judge; I cannot lay blame on Him.)

*KeruBo at the* Islesford Congregational Church

Mola is more than a word—it is breath, spirit, and justice. To stumble upon it there felt like a small miracle, a greeting from home.

Later, I learned that Ashley had worked in remote villages of Laikipia, Kenya, and at Mount Kenya Academy. In that moment, I felt deeply connected—as though we had been walking the same road across oceans and generations. I wished I had met him, for I think we would have been great friends.

The Meaning of Sankofa

Decorative image: The Sankofa bird is a symbol for the African proverb "It is not wrong to go back for that which you have forgotten." — Sankofa teaches us: reach back, to carry forward.
Ashley Bryan reached back into African folktales, ancestral memory, and fragments of the past—sea glass, puppets, wood—and turned them into light for the present.

In my own way, I do this through teaching, singing, and storytelling circles.

Decorative image: a group of multi-racial & multi-generational women sitting in a storytelling circle

Carrying Sankofa Forward: Current Project

You Are Enough: Reflection Conversations

This fall, I will pilot You Are Enough: Mirror Conversations with Refugee Youth. Inspired by my song You Are Enough, the series creates space for young people to reflect, be affirmed, and share their voices. The goal is simple: to nurture belonging, spark compassion instead of judgment, and remind each youth of their worth. Through music, art, and dialogue, we will walk together toward healing and change.

“You Are Enough: Mirror Conversations” pilots this fall

1619 First Landing: Storytelling & Song Performance

We honored the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia in 1619 and explored the deep roots of African heritage in America. The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance presented a weekend of reflection, celebration, and culture.

I had the honor of speaking and leading an affirmative chant connecting the Angolan people of 1619 to today’s vibrant African diaspora. We all enjoyed speakers, music, drumming, dance, spoken word, youth activities, and the Black Legacy Wall, marking a powerful moment of remembrance and celebration.

Watch a snippet of the performance below.

Closing Reflection

Like Ashley Bryan’s stained-glass windows, each story is a shard of light. Together, they form a window into who we are and who we are becoming.

This August, I invite you to pause and ask:

What story from your past still carries light for your future?
What song is waiting for you to sing again?

Because, truly—you are enough.

With love,

KeruBo