I try not to talk a lot about race or privilege, but I have observed something at the airport I work at. Every day that I walk on the concourse I don’t see many African American people, the only ones I see are employees and not higher management.
If I do see someone of color traveling, it’s usually a man. Whenever I see a black woman with a suitcase, I smile a little bit inside. This is important to me, I live in one of the most segregated cities in America. As a result, when you are a person of color you really get to see what disadvantages you have; your neighborhoods don’t get the same care as the other ones, your schools don’t get enough funds to keep you in the classroom, and you think you can’t have the same things as the kids with lighter complexions.
As a travel advisor of color, I want to help people of color travel more, not out of necessity, like visiting family, more leisure travel. When you look at travel advertisements you don’t really see people of color, when you do they are the citizens of that destination or employees at the resort. When I speak to a young African American person about travel to Asia or Europe they look a bit dumbfounded by the statement, as if the Caribbean is the only region we are able to visit.
I want to see more Latinas and black women going on trips to Paris, the Galapagos, Fiji, Peru, Quito, Milan, Cappadocia and so many more places. I just want to see more diversity, especially in my own city. Sorry for rambling, just needed to get that out.
