Have you ever explored your ancestry? What did you discover? In her 2021 audiobook, The Year of Return: A Black Woman’s African Homecoming, Rachel Décoste shares her epic odyssey to Africa. Like most descendants of enslaved Africans, Décoste could not pinpoint her origins until technology evolved. Guided by a DNA test, she visited 5 countries in as many months – each country held a piece of her ancestry. In her own voice, Décoste recounts her journey with vivid imagery and humour – her pan-African trek is peppered with unexpected twists and delightful discoveries.

Buy The Year of Return: A Black Woman’s African Homecoming audiobook: http://www.yearofreturnbook.com/

Rachel Décoste is a writer, educator and social policy expert from Ottawa, Canada. She has been a community activist since her youth, working with organizations including the Children's Aid Society, S.O.S. Montfort Hospital, the Famous 5 Foundation, and the Black Canadian Scholarship Fund. Her commitment includes international activities: she has traveled abroad to provide aid in South and Central Americas and West Africa.

In 2008, Décoste worked on then-Senator Obama’s presidential campaign and again in 2012. Décoste lived and worked in Washington, DC, where she honed her socioeconomic policy credentials while managing a national bipartisan tech education initiative on behalf of the United States Congress. She was named to the Top 100 Accomplished Black Canadian women in 2018. Décoste has lectured on diversity and inclusion at several top universities in the USA and Canada. She also offers anti-Black racism workshops for North American corporations and firms. (from racheldecoste.com)

Podcast audio production by Graham Stephenson

Episode music: Caprese by Blue Dot Sessions

Rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Anchor, Breaker, Google, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, and Spotify