Cultural Ties and Creative Vision Draw Represent Georgia CEO Back to Ghana

In an exclusive interview on ZED FM’s Roots and Routes, Kimberlyn Carter, CEO and Executive Director of Represent Georgia, spoke about the deep historical ties and personal aspirations that continue to bring her back to Ghana.

Carter, who hails from Macon, a small town in rural Georgia, pointed to a defining moment in her hometown’s history as the foundation of her connection to Ghana. In 1999, Macon elected its first Black mayor, C. Jack Ellis, a development she described as transformational. “Cities in the United States have sister city relationships, and most of them are with Europe or Asia because of global trade,” Carter said. “But our mayor made a very intentional decision.”

She explained that the decision to twin Macon with Elmina was rooted in shared history. “Because of the triangular trade system, where the first slave ships landed, and because my hometown was one of the largest slave auction spaces, he decided our sister city should be Elmina,” she said. The Macon–Elmina sister city relationship will mark its 25th anniversary next year, a milestone Carter described as “deeply symbolic and powerful.”

During Mayor Ellis’s eight-year tenure, several cultural and civic delegations were exchanged, further strengthening the bond between the two communities. Carter noted that her own journey back to Ghana was encouraged through these longstanding ties. “After my visit in March, he told me, ‘I want you to go to PANAFEST,’” she recalled, referencing the historic festival that celebrates Pan-African unity and heritage.

While cultural reconnection remains central, Carter said her continued visits are also shaped by creative pursuits. “I’m a multi-hyphenate,” she said. “I’ve always loved fashion, brands and culture, and I want to launch a fashion brand that is connected to the continent.”