Traveling gives one a sense of cultures, gratitude, empathy, perspective, personal development and much more. Some say that you learn more about yourself when traveling; you become more observant, open to receive and make connections. But with traveling being so fun, enlightening and important, it begs the question of why most Americans, let alone African-Americans, do not travel outside of their own country. This was a question that Zim Ugochukwu had while traveling around the world and noticing that there weren’t many people of color enriching their lives with such a meaningful experience.
Travel Noire is a beautifully designed platform featuring cultivated insights from a global community of Black travelers. Founded by Glamour Magazine award-winning entrepreneur Zim Ugochukwu, Travel Noire is a necessity in every traveler’s toolkit. The site is filled with traveling guides — involving group getaways, traveling on a budget, food exploration, studying abroad, etc. Travel Noire breaks down information to visitors by allowing them to consume it by people, culture, experience, destinations, food and style. It’s like going to a friend and asking how was your trip to [insert country here]. That’s the beauty of pulling from curators all around the world — these people have been there, experienced the good, the bad and the plentiful.
They hand select the most amazing individuals from the African diaspora, who reside all over the globe, to share their love of culture and exploration with their viewers — in hopes that you will hop out of your neighborhood and across one (or a few) of the seven seas.
Their curators live in major cities, sprawling metropolises, countrysides, on boats and in mountains and everywhere in between. They span from the Americas to the dunes of the Middle East, from Europe to Oceania and from the tip of Africa to the paddy fields of Asia.
You also get an up-close and personal moment with their favorite curators on Travel Noire TV. Here you’ll hear insightful stories and go on a journey with them. Travel Noire TV offers all things travel and lifestyle, from learning how to book a cheap flight to maximizing your experience while away.
One point that resonated with me about the folks at Travel Noire is when they said, “When you learn about who you are in the context of other cultures, you open yourself up to be of service.” Let that marinate.
Check out Travel Noire and Travel Noire TV. Happy Traveling!
Quiessence is an Information Security Professional with over seven years of experience. She is also the Curriculum Development Lead for Black Girls CODE NY, creator of the Girltechie Campaign, and a workshop called “Securing Your Web.” Quiessence gravitated to technology at an early age and has been captivated ever since.