We Are Not the Same..But We are a Tribe...

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Nomadness Founder, Evita Robinson
Photo credit: BlackEnterprise.com

You may have heard the term, "Black people are NOT monolithic." Well, for the most part that is true, we all have varying perspectives, life experiences and beliefs. There is no one category that we all fit into. I, for example, have never enjoyed eating black eye peas for the new year or any other time for that matter, but for many Black people, that is tradition. I also hate collard, turnip, kale and any other green...well except spinach, but that's for another story.
My point is, there are many attributes and characteristics that make up the Black Community. However, there are a few things that we do share and hold near and dear to our hearts, one of those things being FREEDOM! The freedom to choose our travel destinations without restrictions, the freedom to land in a foreign country without being mistaken as the latest exotic attraction. Join me as I share my thoughts on NOMADNESS' Evita Robinson's TedTalk featured after the break...

I enjoyed Robinson's Ted Talk and her vivid depiction of her life and being a 3x ex pat. Moving and living in different countries adds a bit a flavor, if you will, to the person you become. As an American, if I had never left the United States, I would most likely believe that other countries think as I do or have a similar belief system. This couldn't be further from the truth. Even people with the same hue as you as well as similar traits, may be vastly different in regard to culture and language. These are things we learn and grow to appreciate as we mature as travelers. 
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Robinson touches on a bit of history referring to sundown towns (usually southern states) where Black people passing through a certain town, would have to be 'out of dodge' before the sun went down. It may sound ancient to some of you young whipper snappers out there, but in reality, this is recent history. The Nomadness founder also references the 'Negro Motorist Handbook', that informed black travelers the best routes to take, when to get out of town and how to act if stopped by the white authorities. Sounds crazy right? Yes, it does, but this was once OUR (meaning our tribe) way of life. 
So when you think about it, travel is almost a right of passage, a thing we should all be a part of. We, African Americans, have been fighting for basic human rights for many years now, the right to travel freely and in peace, is no different. We owe it to our ancestors to travel and explore this intricate, yet beautiful world, we call home. Like I always say, #WhyWait #JustGo

For more information on how to book your next vacation, head over to www.kcrumbtravel.com
Be sure to like and share this post. Remember, we are a tribe!