In recent years, the world has become accustomed to viral videos of American police in altercations with black Americans that often end up with supposed suspects shot dead.
Coupled with the rise of far-right and white supremacist movements, the situation seems to have gotten out of hand for a group of 30 African Americans currently in Kenya 'in search of their roots'.
The group is on a five-day safari as they plan a permanent move to the country, and are meeting elders, individuals and authorities to make the move as smooth as possible.
Some, such as Kea Tiffani Simmons, have already began investing in property in Nairobi.
"We are tired of being blacks in America. We are tired of being shot because of the color of our skin. We are tired of being called Americans," Simmons told Standard in an interview.
Simmons was given the Kenyan name Wakesho Akinyi and has acquired property in Juja, Nairobi.
"My second Kenyan name, Akinyi, means born in the morning. It reminds me how good it feels to wake up in the morning and feel no discrimination of profiling based on race," she stated.
37-year old Simmons has already began the process of getting residency papers and plans on applying for Kenyan citizenship. As founder of World Views Organization, she has been visiting Kenya since 2012.
The group has members drawn from the United Kingdom and various states in the US including Texas, North Carolina, New York, Alabama, Florida, Los Angeles , Virginia and Mississippi.
65-year old Pat Headly, who is British Jamaican, opined that East Africa was the best place for African-Americans and African-Britons to relocate. He has already began investing in Uganda and is scouting for other opportunities in Nairobi.
"Some of us live in the UK not by choice but because of black history. Having lived in the UK for 55 years I can tell you with certainty that the experiences I have had have not been flattering," he stated.
The group will head down to the Coast to get Kenyan names from Mijikenda elders before flying out on Sunday.
Asked what it was about Kenya that made them want to relocate, Simmons talked about the beauty of the land and warm, welcoming nature of the people.
"The Maasai are the last samurai," she also added a bit matter-of-factly.
