On May 16, 2019, Saray Khumalo became the first black African woman to summit Mount Everest. This was her 4th attempt. Saray was born in 1972 in Zambia but grew up in the township in Johannesburg.
As a kid, she loved watching shows about superheroes like Wonder Woman, Superman and She-Ra. There was something about seeing those characters use their superpowers to accomplish seemingly impossible takes. She also loved that they were fearless and used their supernatural abilities to save the world. She wanted to be on top of the world one day. Just. Like. Them.
Today, Saray is a motivational speaker, award-winning mountaineer, Mandela libraries ambassador, entrepreneur and business executive, and the recipient of numerous awards.
Listen to her incredible journey to Everest below, or read it here.
Vimbai E. is a writer, journalist, ghostwriter and the founder of The Weight She Carries. With hundreds of articles publishing online, in print and for broadcast, her love of language and storytelling shines through every piece of writing that bears her name.