African American Couple Leave New York for Ghana in Growing Black Migration to Africa
- A prominent African American couple have made a major move from New York to Ghana, marking the beginning of an unexpected new chapter in their lives
- Their decision follows years of plans, personal experiences and a deep connection to Africa that eventually brought them to Accra
- The couple's move has also been shaped by broader concerns and ambitions that make their Ghana journey particularly significant
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A prominent African American couple from New York have swapped the streets of Brooklyn for a new chapter in Ghana, joining a growing movement of Black Americans establishing homes on the African continent.
Dr Torian Easterling, a former executive at One Brooklyn Health, and his wife, Diane O. Lucas, a 45-year-old civil rights attorney and former Head of Racial Justice Pro Bono at law firm Davis Polk, are embarking on a two-year stay in Ghana as part of what they describe as a historic homecoming.
Source: UGC
According to a report by the Amsterdam News, their decision marks the culmination of a shared dream that was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although their initial plans to relocate in 2019 were put on hold, their desire to live abroad never disappeared.
“We were very intentional about wanting to live abroad,” Lucas said. “That would be the dream.”
Reconnecting with ancestral roots
For Lucas, whose parents are from Sierra Leone, the move to West Africa carries deep personal significance.
Growing up in the United States, she watched members of her family experience displacement during Sierra Leone's civil war, which lasted from 1991 to 2002.
Although she had never visited her parents' homeland, her first trip to Africa was to Ghana in 2005.
The experience proved emotional and left a lasting impression on her.
“I had this interesting vantage point because I was born and raised here,” Lucas reflected. “I feel like all of it is in me, but because this is really the only reality I've ever had, being Black in America, that's the only truth I've known.”
Recalling her first visit to Ghana, she said: “I just started crying. Because it was so loaded for me.”
“I felt like this homecoming as a descendant of enslaved Africans. The history of Sierra Leone.”
Bringing skills back to Africa
The couple's relocation comes amid continuing efforts across Africa to strengthen ties with the diaspora and address shortages of skilled professionals.
According to data from the African Union Development Agency - New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD), about 70,000 skilled professionals leave the continent for Western countries every year.
The migration of skilled workers has placed pressure on key sectors, particularly healthcare, prompting African governments to explore ways of attracting members of the diaspora back to the continent.
Ghana's historic “Year of Return” campaign was one such initiative, aimed at encouraging people of African descent to reconnect with Ghana and consider opportunities on the continent.
Dr Easterling brings significant public health leadership experience to Ghana. He was also recently accepted into a prestigious fellowship at Harvard Business School for the upcoming year.
Concerns over America's political climate
Beyond their personal ambitions, the couple also pointed to growing frustration with systemic inequality and political rhetoric in the United States.
Dr Easterling said their previous experiences working in government and civil rights had given them a clear understanding of structural challenges within American society.
“We both held positions within the state and the city, and so we're certainly in a moment that we're not totally surprised because the U.S. is based on the perils of capitalism,” he explained.
“A lot of the work that we have done has been to disrupt these types of systems.”
Lucas, meanwhile, expressed anger and disappointment over federal immigration enforcement tactics and what she described as anti-immigrant rhetoric in the US.
She compared the electronic monitoring of some immigrants with historical forms of oppression.
“I mean, I am so deeply angry, disappointed, devastated by what this country's doing. I just have images of our Haitian brothers and sisters, the shackles … the ankle monitors. Like modern-day shackles on them,” Lucas remarked.
A new chapter, not a permanent goodbye
Despite their decision to relocate to Accra, the couple stressed that they are not abandoning their commitment to equality and social justice in the United States.
Instead, they see their time in Ghana as an extension of their work in public service, community empowerment and the fight for social justice.
Lucas said their move should not be interpreted as a permanent departure from America.
“As much as we are excited to leave, America is our home,” she affirmed, “and we are going to continue to try to make it a better place.”
American woman shares experience after visiting Ghana
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that a video of an African-American woman identified as Dr Kale Cooper, sharing her experience in Ghana, had surfaced online.
In the video, the woman claimed that she saw angels on earth for the first time after visiting the country.
Dr Kale Cooper also said she had a great time in Ghana, visiting historical sites across the country and experiencing its rich culture.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
