Russia. Ghana. China. France. This summer, Bryn Mawr students will be traveling across the globe for internships, study abroad programs, and more. For some, it鈥檚 their very first time leaving the country. But for others, it鈥檚 just one more step in their journey as lifelong global learners. Just ask Aisha Soumaoro 鈥20, who鈥檚 had enough travel experiences to fill a book.
We mean it鈥攕he co-authored a book.
Titled She鈥檚 Ready, the book touches on an issue that鈥檚 close to Aisha鈥檚 heart: the experiences of women of color who have traveled the world. It offers both personal testimonies from eight collaborators who have done so, and space for reflection by readers who may pursue the same.
The book鈥檚 curator, Rashell Evans, has acted as Aisha鈥檚 mentor for years. Rashell founded the organization behind She鈥檚 Ready, , which provides passports for young women of color to travel the world.
鈥淲omen of color and their experiences are often put on the back burner,鈥 says Aisha. 鈥淏ut at the same time, traveling is a really important aspect of our often transnational identity.鈥
While Aisha calls New York City home, she鈥檚 lived her life all over; she was born in the U.S., grew up in Guinea, and returned to the States at the age of seven. When she was 14 or 15, she went to Ecuador without her parents鈥攁nd there, for the first time, she felt the weight of her identity, both as a woman and as a person of color, abroad.
鈥淚 was really alert about my safety. I felt like I needed a safe bridge between me and the outside world.鈥
Aisha鈥檚 travels have taken her to countries around the world, including South Africa, Ecuador, and Egypt. Most recently, she鈥檚 traveled in Bryn Mawr-sponsored programs like Lagim Tehi Tuma, a Summer Action Research fellowship. The experience of being abroad as a woman of color, she says, is 鈥渁 constant process of reevaluation and awareness.鈥
Now that the book is out, Aisha is back to her everyday schedule: she鈥檚 planning to major in sociology, balancing work at the library with executive board duties on BACaSO, and managing
Still, she鈥檚 excited to start more conversations about travel as a woman of color.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to discuss everything transparently: your finances, your safety, your mental health鈥攁nd to have support doing that. I hope this book creates the momentum for people to find themselves, recognize their own stories, and/or find peace with the experience they had.鈥
As for Aisha鈥檚 plans this summer? She鈥檚 not sure yet, but she鈥檚 confident she鈥檒l be able to handle whatever comes next.
Says Aisha, 鈥淲ho knows where I鈥檒l end up?鈥