What Happens When Nine Women Say Yes to Themselves in Brazil?

What Happens When Nine Women Say Yes to Themselves in Brazil? A Journey of Rhythm, Sisterhood, and Rediscovery with Women Celebrating Women Across the Globe by Dr. Julie Hill. Co-Founder/President/CEO of Global Citizen Adventure Corps

If you’ve ever felt the quiet tug of adventure—not just to go somewhere, but to feel something — this is for you.

Nine women from across the United States, spanning different ages (18-77), backgrounds, and life paths, recently embarked on a transformational journey to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, with Global Citizen Adventure Corps. What they found wasn’t just a trip — it was a breakthrough. A celebration. A homecoming to parts of themselves they didn’t even know were missing.

This wasn’t about luxury hotels or tourist traps. It was about real connection, experiential learning, and being welcomed into the living heartbeat of Afro-Brazilian culture, guided by local leaders and powerful women maestras who’ve kept these traditions alive for generations.

What Made This Trip So Special?

It was immersive. It was soulful. It was real.

Here’s just a glimpse:

We practiced capoeira, the graceful martial art disguised as a dance, born from the Bantu and Yoruba nations of Africa, and preserved by the resistance of enslaved people over the past 500+ years.

We learned samba reggae, a hybridized music style born in the 1970s from local leaders in Salvador including someone I was lucky enough to call my teacher, Neguinho do Samba. He created the first Bloco-Afro for women with Escola Dida in 1993. Now, more than 30 years later, there are several groups providing the unique opportunity to perform this music, but none more impactful than the powerful women percussionists of Yaya Muxima. We spent the day in their house with their leader, my friend, Maestra Viviam Queiros, who taught us about the instruments and the music, but more importantly, how samba reggae music in the Pelourinho of Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, creates transformational change for generations of black women in this region. In the afternoon, we were inspired as the drums of Yaya Muxima lit up the cobblestone streets of the Pelourinho with our own Melinda Leoce performing alongside them. Their music and spirits left an indelible impression on our hearts as they celebrated their ancestry and inspired the next generation of young black women living there through song, dance, and drumming.

We danced to Afro-Brazilian rhythms with Maestra Rainha Vania Oliveira, who taught us with her heart. The recurring mantra, “respeito” (respect), “carinho” (caring), “amore” (love), and “ancestralidade” (ancestry) were the Brazilian Portugese words still resonating with each of us long after this profound lesson ended..

We were welcomed into sacred Candomblé spaces and experienced the beauty of African spiritual traditions still thriving today at Terreiro do (House of) Alaketu. Candomblé’s roots are in the Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu peoples of Africa and were brought to Brazil by the TransAtlantic Slave Trade. Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian religion that originated in 19th-century Brazil when enslaved Africans adapted their traditional religions to adapt to the slave colony’s official religion of Roman Catholicism. The name Candomblé means “dance in honor of the gods”.

✨ Most of all, they connected — to the local community, to each other, and to themselves.

Tonda Potts, program participant from Boulder, Colorado, and retired superintendent/educator shared: “I had never traveled internationally alone before, but I found myself feeling more connected to my surroundings and fellow travelers than ever. Every woman I met reminded me what strength and joy (or “Alegria” in Portuguese) looked like, and I will absolutely travel with GCAC again. I felt so strongly about my experience that I have offered myself as a future GCAC Board Member – I love the GCAC model!”

For Women Like You
Whether you’re in your 20s or your 60s…
Whether you’ve traveled the world or are just starting out…
Whether you dance, drum, pray, or simply feel curious…
This kind of journey is for any woman ready to grow, stretch, and rediscover herself in a new light.

You don’t need to speak Portuguese. You don’t need to be a dancer. You don’t need to “know what you’re doing.” You just need to bring your open mind, your open heart, and your readiness for something more.

Why Go With Global Citizen Adventure Corps?

Because this isn’t just travel. It’s transformation.
Global Citizen Adventure Corps partners directly with local guides, artists, and community leaders to create authentic, ethical, and life-changing experiences. It’s not about watching from the sidelines — it’s about being welcomed into the circle.

And when women lead — especially women rooted in tradition and love — magic happens!

Are You Ready?

This is your invitation to be part of something unforgettable. To travel not just across the world — but deeper into who you are. We hope you will join us on an upcoming Global Citizen Adventure Corps program. If you would like to form a group or join a group, please reach out to me directly.

And, if you aren’t sure if GCAC is for you, take the test below:

Let this be the year you say yes to joy, culture, connection — and to yourself.

Applications for upcoming programs are open now.
Learn more and apply at https://globalcitizenadventurecorps.org/programs/
Follow the journey @gcacorg

Is This Journey Calling You? Take the 1-Minute Quiz:

When you think about travel, you’re craving…
A. Rest and reconnection
B. Culture and creativity
C. Meaning and growth
D. All of the above
You’ve been feeling…
A. A little stuck or burned out
B. Curious about your roots or global cultures
C. Ready to try something that stretches you
D. Like it’s your time
You’re most inspired by…
A. Women lifting each other up
B. Rhythm, movement, and music
C. Deep conversations and spiritual traditions
D. Stories that remind you of your power
You’ve always wanted to…
A. Travel solo (but not feel alone)
B. Dance or drum in another country
C. Learn from women who live with passion and purpose
D. Do something unforgettable

If you said “yes” to 3 or more…
You’re ready. This journey was made for you.
SAVE THE DATE: Travel with GCAC to Salvador da Bahia, Brazil June 4-13, 2027.
Contact julie@globalcitizenadventurecorps.org

Feel the drumbeat. Move your body. Reconnect with your spirit.
Let your next chapter begin — with rhythm, sisterhood, and joy.
Learn more and apply at https://globalcitizenadventurecorps.org/programs/
Follow the journey @globalcitizenadventurecorps

What Happens When Nine Women Say Yes to Themselves in Brazil?