The death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor among other cases of police brutality has put a much-needed spotlight on systemic racism across institutions and industries on a global scale. An issue that’s been ignored for far too long, racial inequalities are still deeply rooted in the travel industry as well.
That’s why the Black Travel Alliance is holding the industry accountable for greater representation in travel. With the #pullupfortravel campaign, the organization of black travel creators are calling on brands to release stats of black representation in employment, conferences, media, press trips, and philanthropy.
But it’s not just on brands to do better. Myself, along with the rest of the travel blogging community must do better too. Not only do we need to continue our education in anti-racism and integrate black history/businesses into our travel content, we also need to tangibly support the work of black travel bloggers.
Black travel bloggers and creators are out here. They’ve BEEN out here for years, killing the game as authors, brand strategist, entrepreneurs, hosts and coaches while traveling, and changing, the world.
Today (Juneteenth!) is a great time to buy products or services from black travel bloggers and creators, but I also hope you bookmark this page to revisit to continue your support in the future as well.
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Note: I will continue to update this list going forward on a weekly basis. If you’d like me to add someone (including yourself) to this list that sells a product or service, please let me know.
- Books to buy from black travel authors
- Danielle Desir, The Thought Card
- Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström, Akinmade
- Monet Hambrick, The Traveling Child
- Nadeen White, The Sophisticated Traveler
- Danielle Pointdujour, aka The Hotel Whisperer
- Kemkem Casinelli, Next Bite of Life
- Products from black travel bloggers
- Ashlee Tuck, Will Drink for Travel
- Tyra, The Traveling Esquire
- Roni Faida, The Travel Guru
- Brian K. Oliver, Beyond Bmore
- Coaching and brand consulting from black creators
- Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad
- Jeff Jenkins, The Chubby Diaries
- Gabby Beckford, Packs Light
- Jakiya Brown, The Travelingfro
- Colby Holiday, World of a Wanderer
- Martinique Lewis, Marty San Diego
- Eulanda & Omo Osagiede, Hey Dip Your Toes In
- Educators and experts to support
- Presets from black travel creators
Books to buy from black travel authors
Danielle Desir, The Thought Card
At the intersections of finance and travel, Danielle Desir is the author behind The Thought Card blog and host of The Thought Card Podcast. She shares tips on everything from how to find the best travel deals and destinations to investing and homeownership.
Danielle has authored two books already, Affording Travel and an extensive Iceland Travel Guide book. You can also buy her courses, Budgeting Basics and Financial Goal Setting here.
Lọlá Ákínmádé Åkerström, Akinmade
Lọlá is an award-winning writer and photographer with work appearing in National Geographic, BBC, CNN, Lonely Planet and more. She has traveled to more than 70+ countries and was the recipient of the 2018 Bill Muster Award.
She’s contributed to a handful of books over the years, and has authored four books herself. Lagom: The Swedish Secret of Living Well and Afroswede detail her identity and experience within Swedish culture. She also authored Due North and Wellbeing in Costa Brava. You can check out all her books here.
Monet Hambrick, The Traveling Child
The Hambricks are the family behind The Traveling Child, a family of four traveling everywhere from road trips across to U.S., to international vacations in Morocco. Monet Hambrick and her husband, alongside their two adorable daughters, provide inspiration and practical tips for family and couple getaways.
Monet is the Author of the children’s book, The Traveling Child goes to Rio de Janeiro. This book is meant to educate children on this Brazilian city, through the eyes of two traveling sisters. Buy the book here.
Nadeen White, The Sophisticated Traveler
Maintaining a balancing act between being both a blogger and physician, Nadeen is the author of the award-winning travel and lifestyle blog, The Sophisticated Life. Here she covers making luxury travel more affordable, as well as wine regions around the world.
Nadeen has authored three books that cater to the travel foodies out there. The first is “Travel Guides to your Favorite Destinations”, which is a round-up of destination travel guides. She also has A Culinary Travel Guide: Food & Wine and USA Wine Guides as travel guides. You can purchase these travel guides here.
Danielle Pointdujour, aka The Hotel Whisperer
Known for her work with some of the top travel luxury brands in the world, Danielle is often called the Hotel Whisperer. Her work as a journalist has also been featured in Travel Noire, Yahoo Travel, and more. Her blog caters to luxury travelers with a curiosity for the world and the finer things in life.
She offers two e-books on her website, one on the Amalfi Coast in Italy and the other on planning a Trip to Bali. She also has another e-book for “How to Travel for Less. Buy her e-books here.
Kemkem Casinelli, Next Bite of Life
Kemkem grew up in Africa, then moved to the U.S. where she worked as a pharmacist for a number of years. She relocated to live in Europe with her Italian husband, where they lived in Malta and then relocated to Valencia. They practice slow travel around Europe and detail their experiences traveling as an interracial couple.
Kemkem details her expertise in her books, which range from Blindness of Love: a Multicultural love story to an Expat’s guide to Valencia. You can buy any of these e-books here.
Products from black travel bloggers
Ashlee Tuck, Will Drink for Travel
Ashlee is the founder and editor behind the Travel and Spirits Blog, Will Drink for Travel. Her and her team combine their expertise in travel and all things wine, beer, and spirits around the world.
Her shop has a number of t-shirts and sweatshirts with “will drink for travel” text and logos on it. This crewneck sweatshirt looks perfect for the airport chic look, or just lounging at home. Check out all of the apparel here.
Tyra, The Traveling Esquire
Tyra is a “practicing attorney traversing the world one country at a time”. She is a part-time digital nomad, and shows others how to balance being a working professional while also making time for international getaways.
Aside from juggling all of the above, she has a series of products on her blog, ranging from apparel to travel gear. This “eat well travel often” onesie screams baby globetrotter. All of these luggage tags are sure to make sure you don’t mistake your luggage next time you’re traveling. Shop all of her products here.
Roni Faida, The Travel Guru
As a former tour guide, Roni is a trilingual travel expert who shares her tips and travel inspiration on her blog. She’s a licensed elementary school teacher with an MBA and 20 years of travel under her belt!
Roni makes these badass Black Girl Travel Stickers, perfect to put on your luggage, laptop, or passport holder. She’s also making handmade masks in travel-themed prints. Check out all her other products here.
Brian K. Oliver, Beyond Bmore
Brian K. Oliver is a travel blogger and creator from Baltimore, who uses his platform to share his passion for exploring the world and enrich the lives of those around him. He has visited over 60 countries, and now aims to focus his travels over the continent of Africa.
Wanting to give back to his hometown, Brian launched a non-profit called Bmore See More, a travel and mentorship program for young men in Baltimore. He takes groups of high schoolers on trips around the nation, and then brings program alumni back as mentors to the next generation of program attendants.
On his website, he’s set up a shop where you can purchase apparel with the non-profit logo. 100% of proceeds go to the Bmore See More program. Click her to give back and shop. In fact, he started a non-profit organization called Bmore See More, which empowers minority
Coaching and brand consulting from black creators
Gloria Atanmo, The Blog Abroad
As one of the OG travel influencers on Instagram, Gloria Atanmo is living proof that anything is possible. From teaching English in Europe, to building a successful travel blog, writing a best-selling book, creating a blogger bootcamp, and landing several successful partnerships with major brands, Glo is not stopping anytime soon.
She is now focused more on being a digital entrepreneur and helping others do the same as a coach. Her Blog like a Boss online course has received praise by many, including several black creators from this list. She also offers paid mentorship and coaching sessions to fellow creators. Click here to apply for her mentorship program.
Jeff Jenkins, The Chubby Diaries
A plus-size, black traveler helping “chubby people travel the world”, Jeff is passionate about making travel more accessible for people of all sizes. He has been featured in forbes, CNN, and NY Times Travel. He uses his platform to share his travels and also highlights other plus-size travelers.
Jeff offer’s a series of Instagram audits between 30 minutes to 1 hour. These coaching calls are meant to give you on the right track to help you kill it on IG like Jeff is doing. You can also check out his “chubby diaries” apparel merch here.
Gabby Beckford, Packs Light
As a Gen-Z travel expert, TedX speaker, and travel blogger, Gabby is an advocate for ceasing every travel opportunity and scholarship. She has a travel opportunity newsletter, where she helps others ceases these opportunities as well, and her work has been featured in Lonely Planet, The NY Times, and more.
Gabby also offers 1-on-1 consulting for those that want to pick her brain on how she got to where she is now. She’ll offer her tips in travel planning, entrepreneurship, and ceasing every opportunity! Book a consultation with her here.
Jakiya Brown, The Travelingfro
Jakiya Brown, also known as the Travelingfro is a world traveler and brand strategist that left the 9-5 life of NYC to live in Senegal. As founder of The Travelingfro Brands LLC, her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, Popsugar, and more.
She is passionate about helping post-corporate entrepreneurs, and advocates for closing the black economic wealth gap. You can support her work by hiring her as a brand consultant, or venmoing her for continuing educational work on her Instagram (venmo: @jekiyabrown).
Colby Holiday, World of a Wanderer
Colby Holiday is the travel blogger and photographer behind World of a Wanderer. She taught ESL in South Korea, and then moved to Madrid for 9 months before returning to her hometown of Atlanta. Now she shares her travels in the U.S. and abroad to encourage others to step out of their comfort zone.
In addition to working with a number of brands, Colby also offers consulting services to other creators and businesses. She offers virtual admin assistance, blog and copy writing services, and social media maintenance, each starting at $200 a month. Click here to see all her services she offers.
Martinique Lewis, Marty San Diego
Martinique, also known as Marty, is a “digital disruptor whose immensely in love with all things travel.” She is a both a travel content creator and a diversity in travel consultant, with a mission to change the face of tourism forever.
Previously working with Norwegian Air, Lonely Planet and more, she’s been an instrumental voice in the Black Travel Alliance and was also a panelist on the aforementioned Diversity in Travel Webinar.
Marty works primarily with brands, and has a large portfolio and case study selection to back it up. Here’s more about her work.
Eulanda & Omo Osagiede, Hey Dip Your Toes In
Eulanda and Omo are a Nigerian-American couple, who were “destined to meet in London”. Now based in London today, they are the award-winning writers and social-media influencers who run the travel,food, and lifestyle blog Hey! Dip your toes in.
Eulanda has now shifted to doing diversity brand consulting, and was recently a featured panelist on the Diversity in Travel webinar hosted by Women in Travel (highly recommend re-watching here). She is using her Instagram to facilitate discussion on being a better ally and hosting an educational series called “School Daze Live” (check out this one about pitching to pubs with Lola Mendez!)
You can hire Eulanda and Omo as brand consultants, or donate to their work here.
Educators and experts to support
Delahaye, Hues of Delahaye
Delahaye is a scientist by day and travel and lifestyle blogger by night, who shows others how to travel while working a 9-5. Originally from Jamaica, she’s lived in London for more than a decade, and shows others the best things to do around London and city breaks around Europe.
Her Youtube channel goes further in depth with city guides and detailed reviews of camera and tech gear. You can support her work by sharing on social media or donate to her work here.
Sojourner White, Sojournies
Sojourner is a traveling social worker and writer based currently based in Milwaukee. She uses her platform to help others “create an abundant life that includes travel”. Sojournies travel blog details everything on tips for working abroad, black-owned businesses to support, and foodie guides across the world.
Sojourner offers a whole host of services on her website from helping others develop a content strategy to travel planning. As a fulbright fellowship alum, she also helps coach others to apply for scholarships and nail the application.
Head over to her Instagram to check out her “let’s unpack that” series, which details conversations on race vs. ethnicity, and social identity. You can Venmo her for her continuing education at @sojourner-white.
Ernest White II, The Fly Brother
As the producer and host of the travel docu-series Fly Brother, Ernest White II is a storyteller who has appeared on the Travel Channel, National Geographic, USA Today, Timeout London, and many more. He has lived in 5 countries and traveled to over 70.
His Fly Brother series is meant to be both entertaining and educational by diving into the cultures of Ethiopia, Namibia, India and more. The public television series is set to start broadcasting starting summer 2020 in the USA.
Click here to donate to Ernest’s work via Paypal.
Presets from black travel creators
Marrica Evans, Marrica Evans
As she first started her blog called “flaunt your fro” to showcase her hairstyles, Marrica has transformed her platform into a hub of all things lifestyle, photography, and branding. She’s a story-teller who loves helping others establish their online presence and find their voice.
One of the ways she does this is through her selection of presets. From cool to faded, vintage tones, Marrica made sure that these presets would suit a variety of skin tones. Shop her presets here.
Denisse, Chasing Denisse
With a sharp eye for photography and style, Denisse is the successful lifestyle blogger with features in Vogue, Refinery29, and more. She identifies as black-latinx, and sells presets that help others enhance their photos with an airy-bright aesthetic.
Her presets are alongside a variety of digital services, including a “perfect pitch e-book”, media kit creation, brand consultation and digital creation services. Take a look at all her other services here.
Asiyami, Asiyami Gold
You’ve probably come across Asiyami for her “it-girl” boho aesthetic on Instagram, where she’s amassed over 300k followers! Originally from Nigeria and then moving to the U.S.A. as a young girl, Asiyami has worked with Vogue, J.Crew, Gap, and more. She started her own line of her luxury travel dresses and clothing here.
To help others develop their own aesthetic, she’s created a series of presets with a variety of tones. Shop her gorgeous presets here.
Know someone else that should be on this list? DM me on Instagram @the_mindful_mermaid to let me know so I can add them!
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