Learning Kinyarwanda, Learning Rwanda With Shema Reagan

In this episode, I sit down with Shema Reagan — a Kinyarwanda teacher, creative writer, and passionate cultural advocate — for a conversation about how language connects us to who we are.

We talk about what it really means to learn Rwanda through its language — from the subtle ways Rwandans greet each other, to the cultural meanings tucked inside everyday words. Shema shares how teaching Kinyarwanda became his way of preserving culture and helping others see Rwanda beyond translation.

It’s a warm, funny, and deeply reflective conversation about language, identity, and the beauty of understanding people through the words they speak.