Post-pandemic, travel photos on social media and bookings for new places have skyrocketed. However, I do not believe that everyone will have the same opportunities. Deanelle Rivers-Mitchell, affectionately known as Danny, founded Black Girls Travel Too, a black woman-owned travel agency. The company intends to rewrite the narrative and break down barriers for women of color. She wants black women to experience the thrill of exploration that only a few are afforded.
TRAVEL IS FOR BLACK WOMEN AND SO IS TRAVEL.
There are various prejudices against people of color who travel. Historically, the travel industry has closed its doors to women of color. They were suggesting that they were either culturally uninclined or unworthy of new experiences. Black Girls Travel Too is focused on dispelling these stereotypes, one passport stamp at a time.
Black Girls Travel Too’s Instagram account was founded in January 2015 and has grown to over 100,000 followers. The company features Black women who are breaking down generational prejudices about travel. The increased interest speaks volumes about Black women’s readiness to claim their place, expand their horizons, and change the narrative in their favor.
How helping others can change your life
Black Girls Travel Too doesn’t just help Black women have great vacations. The travel agency also designs transformative experiences that breathe new life into Black women through volunteer work.
Volunteering is a form of tourism that involves going on a working holiday to spend time for a worthy cause. This is a great way to donate to underserved communities around the world and speaks volumes about who Black women are.
From the sun-drenched beaches of Barbados to the cultural tapestries across India, Black Girls Travel Too curates intimate, culturally-intentioned group experiences each year. Excursions that go beyond mere sightseeing and enrich your life with new perspectives. Rivers-Mitchell builds partnerships around the world and is committed to unwavering customer care while maintaining an educational component. A rigorous screening process ensures that all luggage is safe and consistently delivers on her BGTT promise of creating #goals every trip.
Inspiration starts at home
Her journey from an underprivileged community in Mobile, Alabama to a Black female travel agency leader is inspiring. She defied her adversity and she emerged as a pioneer of her success in her own right. Her field trips to Washington DC inspired her to help black women become educated, liberated, and value themselves. It transforms her singular view of who her travels are for into a multifaceted view of what her travels are like for Black women like her. I changed.
Now, Black Girls Travel Too stands as a testament to her dedication to breaking the generational cycle for black women. It’s time for Black women to feel welcome in different spaces. Her mission to provide opportunities to embark on a journey of self-discovery reflects the changes she herself has undergone. Behind the scenes, she focuses on charity work volunteering overseas with her husband Oliver and their children Madison and Liam.
Find new experiences
Rivers-Mitchell continues to help Black women defy stereotypes, challenge mediocrity, and carve a path to empowerment through travel. In a world where her representation matters, she is a guiding light for women of color seeking their own place in the sun. Black Girls Travel Too is a black woman-owned travel agency ready to guide black women around the world, one adventure at a time.
