Inspiring, educating and encouraging women to see the world even as a solo female traveler.
Like too many industries, the face of travel lacks diversity and inclusion. Social media and travel bloggers have spotlighted it, and while the landscape is increasingly changing, much remains the same.
For context, I took a sabbatical and started traveling the world several years ago—volunteering, exploring and immersing myself in other cultures. I walked away from a lucrative career in marketing and finance to reclaim my time. While trekking, I began sharing my travels with you. And since then, you’ve told me that my stories inspired you to take action. To go at it alone when others failed to travel with you.
As a private person and introvert, it was a huge step to welcome strangers inside my journey. But people wanted to know where’ve you been, where are the pictures, how was it and more importantly, did you feel safe as a Black woman traveling alone. It sparked my desire to share with transparency my travels and inform and educate those looking to travel the same.
For me, providing you with trustworthy content and intimate details of my experiences is the goal. And, after many years of sharing, the empowerment of other women and your feedback is exhilarating.
Cultured Black Pearl will continue to serve as a resource, offering tips and insight for travelers at any stage of their journey and budget. On this blog, you’ll find perspectives on an array of topics from lifestyle travel.
Quitting jobs and traveling the world
Unless you can afford to do so, please do not quit your job because travel influencers say it is the cool thing to do. I worked twenty-five years in corporate before I decided to free my mind. I was no longer thrilled with working to delirium. Unable to fully disconnect. I was missing the balance between work and life. While I’d stacked up six weeks of vacation time, I could never use it.
Globetrotting
When I first started traveling, there was this push to count destinations. After six continents and more than 70 countries, I stopped counting. Living in the moment works better for me. It’s not about how many, how long or how much. It’s about the immersive quality of the experience. Being off the grid is one of the best things I’ve done for my self-care.
Cultured Black Pearl
Cultured Black Pearl produces trustworthy content, shares resources, and connects travelers to brands and destinations interested in diverse consumers.
Many travel bloggers encouraging travelers to quit jobs lack transparency and honesty around what it truly takes to travel affordably and with longevity. They also fail to provide authentic cultural experiences and not just those tailored exclusively for white consumers.
Many believe it is impossible and unsafe for an African-American female to travel + alone across the globe.
I bust this myth as a solo female traveler and knock down barriers in the travel industry while teaching you how to travel abroad safely and seamlessly.
Thank you to my readership for your engagement over the years. I look forward to bringing you many more perspectives.
