As the principal of Nexant Inc. in Washington D.C., Rebecca Gaskin Gain is a transaction advisor to the United States government and liaison to African power companies. A recipient of the National Order of Civic Merit from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rebecca Gaskin Gain enjoys listening to African music and weaving African-style textiles and baskets in her free time.

In general, basket weaving has deep roots in many cultures, as our ancestors found that pliable plants could be formed into three-dimensional shapes that doubled as useful items for cooking, carrying, or holding important items. Since different regions feature different kinds of plants, woven baskets vary depending on what type of materials the weaver had access to. For instance, African baskets originating from Cameroon are made from palm leaves or bark wood, whereas in Rwanda they are typically made from banana leaves or sisal fibers.

Basket weavers generally make baskets that are circular, conical, or square and use a variety of methods including twining, plaiting, and coiling, weaving the materials together in a cross-stitch pattern to make sure the basket is strong and can be used for its specific purpose. It can take a long time to weave a basket from start to finish, as gathering the materials, cleaning them, and preparing them for weaving alone can take many hours.