
Versiti on King (VOK) invited the public to discover and celebrate their African ancestry at the “Remember Who You Are” luncheon on May 31, 2024. The luncheon was hosted by Shannon Sims, reporter and lead anchor for TMJ4 News, Versiti welcomed keynote speaker Dr. Gina Paige, co-founder and president of African Ancestry, Inc.

African Ancestry is the world leader in tracing maternal and paternal lineages of African descent, having helped more than 1,000,000 people reconnect with the roots of their family tree. With the industry’s largest and most comprehensive database of more than 30,000 indigenous African DNA samples, African Ancestry determines specific countries and ethnic groups of origin with an unrivaled level of detail, accuracy and confidence. African Ancestry is committed to providing a unique service to the black community by working daily to improve the cultural, emotional, physical, spiritual and economic wellbeing of people across the African Diaspora.

“Diversity in blood donation parallels tracing our African ancestry; it’s not just about different blood types or discovering roots, but about the collective strength of varied backgrounds and unearthing resilience, culture, and interconnected stories,” said Jasmine M. Johnson, area vice president and senior director of donor services for Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin. “In both, we find that our differences are our greatest asset, empowering us to save lives and embrace our heritage with pride and understanding.”
