On this pilgrimage, I hope to form a connection with my ancestors and greater African family. By visiting Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya, I can connect to my culture and heritage that go far beyond the states.

Climbing Kilimanjaro will be the achievement of a years-long goal of mine to reach the top of the world. I started backpacking and climbing when I was twelve years old and have since never tired of the dedication that it takes, and the perspective that backpacking provides on biodiversity, climate action, and the human condition. Mountain-climbing is where I've written my best theses, met my closest friends, and decided on my fiercest passions. I will climb to raise money for climate action and public health-- causes that I have dedicated my life to.