Reflections from Nicole Joseph
My trip to Durban, South Africa, was amazing and eye-opening. Our group had the opportunity to meet with the Honorable Ela Gandhi, the granddaughter of the civil rights leader Mahatma Gandhi. Ella Gandhi wore many titles in her lifetime but the titles I believe she is most proud of are the ones given to her by her family and people who knew her best: granddaughter, daughter, wife, mother and friend. She is kind and humble. She just wanted to sit with us around the table and talk. We covered a number of topics ranging from politics to activism to womanhood. She invited us to try the local favorites such as cream cookies and ginger beer soda. The treats were delightful and delicious. Then we were treated to a personal tour of the museum dedicated to her grandfather. At the end, we took as many selfies with her as we wanted. Though she was not able to spend much time with her grandfather due to his assassination, you could feel the profound influences he had on the generations that followed him. Her presence commanded the room by simply being humble and full of knowledge. She is an incredible woman!