For me, this included family members. Oh... and I also have the blood of Africa running in my veins (from slavery). Oh... and the blood of Native Americans, leading back to the Trail of Tears. My ancestors were both slaves (of many kinds) and slave owners. I have relatives that fought for the Union and the Confederacy. I have ancestors who came across on the Arbella in 1630. I am related to President Monroe. My point? Your ancestry is a map of your past, NOT your present condition.

Indeed, but let's not forget, the very word "slave" is derived from "Slav". The cabal of the day, the Romans used Slavs as slaves and perverted the name "Slava" which in serbian/slavic means "glory", again derived from "s(a)-lav", which means "with lion". Interestingly lavina in Serbian means avalanche - in reverse "lav" is "val" which means "wave". All of this seems to point to the image of a lion taking down its prey like a wave.
Slava is celebrated every year amongst Serbs. It is the ritual glorification of one's family's patron saint, celebrating (the circle of) life.