Sandra Shank-Bah
FEA
TURE
“Truth is powerful and it prevails.” (Sojourner Truth) This quote holds a special place in Sandra Shank-Bah’s heart, as she has experienced many life-changing truths over her 54 years on Earth. She’s experienced love in the form of her husband, Mamadou Bah – who she considers to be one of her most precious gifts from Allah, her four sons: Cyril Jr., Christopher, Isaiah, and David, and her six grandchildren: Ariana, Jadah, Avani, Jayden, Isabella and Caiden. She’s also experienced grief brought on by the loss of cherished loved ones and gut-wrenching pain which sculpted her into the strong yet compassionate woman she is today.
During her childhood, some of her best experiences and memories involved her sister Laletha, who helped take care of her. “I remember at the age of two sitting at her feet while she was hanging clothing on the line and red ants bit me; she quickly picked me up, ran into the house and ran a bathtub of water with alcohol to stop the stinging. At the age of four she decided it was time to pierce my ears; she took an ice cube, alcohol, needle, and a piece of straw from the broom and lovingly pierced my ears herself.” Laletha’s love was the first that she hadn’t questioned. Throughout Sandra’s life up until the moment her older sister drew her last breath, Laletha was always there for her.
I would like to be remembered as a woman who believed that living life with intention and psychological flexibility enabled her to evolve and grow beyond the boundaries that attempted to cripple her.
Sandra Shank-Bah met her husband of two years in The Gambia, Africa through Rotary International, a humanitarian service organization that brings together business and professional leaders to provide community service and advance goodwill in the world. She had previously been told that Africans are scammers who shouldn’t be trusted and believes that it was Allah’s divine intervention that allowed them to meet at a humanitarian organization under the circumstances that they did, otherwise, she may have misjudged him based on that stereotype.
Not only did her being there led to the introduction of her future husband, but also to the unveiling of a powerful truth: she was the descendant of a young slave girl who was raped numerous times by her master and became the mother of 12 children – all of whom were his. This was so impactful because, in 1986, Sandra joined the United States Army (her dream since age 7), where she was raped by a drill sergeant. She was so devastated that she attempted suicide but was rescued before the bottle of pills could claim her life. She states that her ancestor’s voice spoke to her when she landed in Africa, saying “I didn’t make it back my dear granddaughter, but you did.” “When I see me, I see her”, Sandra says. “Her determination to survive under the most dehumanizing circumstances; it is in this discovery that I understood my journey.”
I want to be remembered as a woman who loved Allah and submitted her life to fulfill His will for her on earth. As a woman who loved unconditionally, served humbly, and tried to lead by example. As a woman who saw obstacles as opportunities designed by Allah and encouraged others to believe in the possibility of better, if [they] are determined and trust Allah. I would like to be remembered as a woman who believed that living life with intention and psychological flexibility enabled her to evolve and grow beyond the boundaries that attempted to cripple her. This ability to do so allowed her to trust Allah in very profound ways that allowed her to discover her ancestry and truth. A woman who served humanity with love.” – Sandra Shank-Bah.
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