In 2018, it is marked that a transformational year in American popular culture. In January, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 1242, the 400 Years of African-American History Act, into law, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the so-called African-American in this country. In February, superhero film Black Panther broke box office records with its predominantly black cast. As the year progressed, we witnessed social media memes titled “BBQ Becky,” “Permit Patty,” “Corner Store Caroline,” “Golf Cart Gail,” and more, all targeting white women for calling police on black Americans for participating in daily life. Gender strife also increased its pace as the women’s #MeToo movement saw the rise of a male counterpart #MGTOW, or “Men Going Their Own Way.”

How did we get here?

This is the question jazz musician and poet Rafa Selase asks as he journeys to the African Slave Coast in an attempt to reconcile a tumultuous past with present-day chaos. My Journey of Faith To The African Slave Coast, Reconciling a Past Not So Long Ago, documents his intense seven-day journey with a group of unexpected travel companions as he discovers some uncomfortable truths about the Transatlantic Slave Trade, religion, race, and gender. He delivers an unflinchingly honest critique of a nation birthed in atrocities and mired in identity politics, while also seeking to discover the true identity of a people whose past has been all but erased.

With six hours of vivid storytelling, Selase weaves in his trademark poetry (complete with original music in the audio version) and redefines what it means to be “woke” in America today. He offers solutions for how all Americans can reconcile with the tragedies of their national history, and creates a roadmap for black Americans to become the leaders they were born to be.