When Tashieka Brewer stayed at her grandmother’s house in New Jersey in the ’80s, she listened to her phone calls. In the evening, Colin Brewer made her travel plans on her phone, booking dinner shows, tours, flights and lodging for a group of women in her neighborhood.
“She was actually a housewife and decided she wanted to travel,” Brewer said. “She realized that many women were professionals and housewives who wanted to travel as well.”
For most women, Brewer’s grandmother, who lives in New Jersey, turned dreams into reality.
“There was a lack of diversity in travel back then,” said Brewer, a freelance publicist. Originally from New Jersey. “Some women of color were hesitant to travel to certain places because they hadn’t seen anyone like them traveling.”
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Brewer recognized that the women likely had safety concerns about traveling to places where there were few people who looked like them or where there was a history of racial tension.
Her grandmother’s travel group became known as Club Fam, and together they went on beach and ski trips to Hawaii and the Caribbean. Club femme was often the only person of color on tour, and her grandmother often made extra efforts to enhance club trips. She contacted tourism boards, subscribed to various magazines, and pulled out clips of activities that tourists wanted.
Following in her grandmother’s footsteps, Brewer fell in love with travel while studying abroad in Paris. She organized her own travel group. pink girls move the world, in 2016, when a friend asked for help planning a trip to Dubai. Brewer’s group not only aims to empower more diverse travelers, but also connects people of color to cultures and experiences around the world.
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“I started this movement because I wanted to create a more inclusive narrative around travel by connecting it with real-life stories that all women can really relate to,” Brewer said.
Bring diversity to your travels
Pink Girls Run the World has grown to about 50 women participating in Brewer-organized trips to places like Morocco, South Africa, and soon Zanzibar. Approximately 25 people participate in two 6-10 day trips each year. The group is open to anyone, but currently all Pink Girls are black women between the ages of 30 and 52. Brewer is creating a space for women to express their true selves in a travel industry that lacks diversity.
“Some people may feel discouraged if they don’t meet people. A lack of representation in travel can lead some people to avoid a destination because it may not be safe, or feel that they need to give off a certain impression in order to feel safe and comfortable. I might.
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Brewer is not alone in feeling that travel needs more inclusivity.space like fat girl trip, Mochirendo and black children travel We aim to represent different types of travelers and create a safe space for all types of people to explore and enjoy destinations.
In the United States, more than two-thirds tour guide is white, valuable audio is lost from the conversation. Mr. Brewer knows what will happen as a result. On a trip to Charleston, where plantations are a place to learn about America’s history of slavery, she felt the hotel and the tour she took were “tone-deaf.”
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“Especially now in 2022, I think some of the language around these tours needs to change…by digging deeper into the experiences of enslaved people and not just the luxury of plantation owners.” she said.
Through Pink Girls Run the World, Brewer is tapping into an “overlooked” market.
In 2019, Black Americans spent more than $109.4 billion on leisure travel, accounting for more than 13% of the U.S. leisure travel market. Half of all black travelers based in the United States said they were likely to visit the destination If there is representation of black people in the ad.
Brewer not only organizes trips for the Pink Girls, but also offers travel coaching. She helps people overcome the fears and hurdles of traveling to new places, and even assists with details like creating itineraries and planning a budget.
Why is it important to be open-minded while traveling?
Brewer likes to keep an open mind when traveling, especially when it comes to meeting other people. When she was in Italy with the Pink Girls, she said people pointed at them and commented on the color of her skin. She didn’t react, but she accepted it. When she was traveling to a Greek village with the women of her family, including her mother and grandmother, people approached them and asked about their kinship. She wasn’t upset and was happy to answer any questions they had.
She said these cases are more rare. “For the most part, people are welcoming,” she said. “I think what sets us apart is our curiosity.”
She views these encounters as educational opportunities. During her travels she meets other people who are interested in her, which gives her the opportunity to learn about their customs and culture and share her own customs and culture with them. “That’s one of the things I love about traveling.”
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter based in Hawaii. Please contact kwong@usatoday.com.
