The face of travel has changed significantly since planes first took to the skies. Every year, more Black women enter the travel and tourism industry and their roles are not monolithic. From travel agents and flight attendants to board executives and content creators, Black women are showing up and out in the travel industry.
With March being Women’s History Month, it’s only right to celebrate a few Black women making moves in the industry. These ladies are making major moves in the travel sphere, setting the tone for more diversity and keeping Black travelers informed on tourism developments. Here are just a few Black women helping to reshape travel history one trip at a time.
Stephanie M. Jones
When it comes to reinforcing diversity within the travel industry, Stephanie M. Jones has continued to stand on the front lines. Jones is a DEI thought leader in tourism and travel. Her innovative concepts and initiatives encourage the growth and advancement of people of color in the industry. She is the founder of numerous organizations dedicated to the cause including Blacks in Travel and Tourism, the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, and the National Cultural Heritage Tourism Summit. Jones is an advocate for cultural preservation, education, and diversification in the travel industry as she leads the way for more women to help set the tone.
Martinique Lewis
The owner of the number one resource for connecting travelers to the African Diaspora is a Black woman. Martinique Lewis has been making waves in the travel industry for a few years now. Her ABC Travel Greenbook app helps make travel and tourism easier for Black travelers. The app allows travelers to connect and link with others while on vacations, curate custom itineraries, and check out reviews from other Black travelers. When she’s not connecting the dots, Lewis is the host of the National Geographic show Black Travel Across America. She’s the president of the Black Travel Alliance and continuously making strides that make Black travelers’ next trip seamless, safe, and easy.
Rue Mapp
Rue Mapp is making sure Black travelers are represented in the ranks of outdoor explorers. She started her organization Outdoor Afro in 2012 to help connect more Black people to nature. Years later, Outdoor Afro connects Black travelers all over the country to nature near them. They have over 40,000 members across 30 states working together to connect and align in nature, no matter where they may reside or travel to. Mapp ensures Black travelers exploring nature can connect through networks in their communities.
Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir
Advocating for safety and belonging for queer and LGBTQ travelers, Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir is making travel history one trip at a time. Her company Moonlight Experience was founded in 2019. The company aims to celebrate queer culture in the nightlife and tourism industry. Every year, Shaibu-Lenoir and her team coordinate trips all around the world. Through Moonlight Experience and her other endeavors, Shaibu-Lenoir is proving that knowledge and education are power for LGBTQ travelers.
Monet Hambrick
If travel is anywhere in your social media algorithm, you’ve probably run across The Traveling Child profile. Social media has fallen in love with the Hambricks as the traveling family visiting destinations near and far. The mom and writer behind the family-forward blog is Monet Hambrick. Alongside her husband, James, and daughters Kennedy and Jordyn, Monet is disproving that wanderlust has to end once you have children. Instead, she aims to show parents how to travel to destinations that may not be perceived as kid-friendly. Empowering parents to feel confident when traveling as a family, Monet and the Hambricks are the true face of family travel.
