Month: February 2021

Cropped Stella Tripadvisor Image

New Byline for TripAdvisor: A Profile on Stella Jean!

Published by

I have a new byline for TripAdvisor: a profile on of Stella Jean, my favorite Italian designer! In honor of Black History month, I’ve contributed to Heather Greenwood Davis and Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon‘s package celebrating Black Joy internationally. The women wonderfully state You won’t find tragic stories in this package. Instead, we’ve opted to focus on Black Joy, on the parts of travel that draw us all year long, and on the ways we are working to change the industry so that it welcomes us as much as we yearn for it. Travel is in our blood, whether by force or by choice. And in a year when the world has shut down much of our access to it, we hope the decision to celebrate our past, present and future – told through this collection of contemporary stories by young Black writers – resonates with you, too. Heather Greenwood Davis and Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon Take a look through this package, and check out my quick run down on Stella Jean! For me, it was exciting to share …

Black guy on Florentine bridge on Tripadvisor homepage

Giving Tripadvisor a Taste of My Black Italy

Published by

When Tripadvisor reached out to me to create a Tripadvisor Black Owned Italy guide for their Black History Month package, curated by my friends and colleagues @JetSetSarah and Heather Greenwood Davis , I jumped at the chance. Italy is often portrayed as a very homogenous country. This lends to the erasure of a thriving BIPOC community. I often wonder if it’s the chicken or the egg in a country’s brand. Is it tourism boards that solely portray a beautiful yet stagnant view of the country; a view that is deeply rooted in the past? Or is it the travel publishing industry that chooses to only tell the same stories that fit in specific schemas of Italy? One of the most visited posts on ‘N A Perfect World is Black friendly travel destinations. Even more wonderful is when you can support Black-owned businesses in these destinations! We out here! These Black Italian businesses and creatives I featured in the Tripadvisor Black Owned Italy Guide offer a window into Italy’s multicultural present. There was only so much …

Colorful mural in downtown Baltimore feature jazz great Billie Holiday and the Royal Theatre

U.S. Black History Destinations for Business Insider

Published by

In honor of Black History Month, Business Insider tapped me to round up great U.S. destinations to learn about Black history. Or, as I like to make note, great U.S. destinations to visit for a well rounded view of American history. I can’t note enough that African American history is American history. I’m very proud of this story. To combat today’s racial ignorance, we need to acknowledge and remedy past mistakes in American history. Only then can we truly begin to heal. While this list highlights some places, like plantations, that can be uncomfortable reminders, it also celebrates Black joy and perseverance featuring Black owned restaurants and hotels. We hope you use this as inspiration to explore and to learn about the beautiful, and not-so-beautiful, history of our country. From colorful beach communities you didn’t know had a Black history to majority Black cities making a comeback as small businesses thrive, we’ve rounded up great destinations that highlight the historical and present-day contributions of African Americans in the US. And stay tuned because I’m going …