13 Female Travel Bloggers of Color You Should Be Following in 2018

Anubha Momin
Anubha Momin

When you scroll through the travel hashtag on Instagram, a similar look can start to become apparent. A girl with a floppy hat stands looking coyly at the camera. Oh, yeah, and she's usually white. In the past, travel was a notoriously dangerous activity for a person of color to partake in, and it's only been more recently that it has even become a possibility for many.

The diversity of travel influencers on Instagram is starting to transform, even if it's a bit slow to see sometimes. We highlighted some amazing female travel bloggers of color previously, so if you want to pepper your feed with even more amazing and adventurous women who are the faces of this shift in the industry, you should follow these 13 travelers who all run Instagram accounts and blogs. They will give you some serious wanderlust inspiration.

01

Jakiya of The Traveling Fro

Jakiya Brown is a 28-year-old traveler, marketer, entrepreneur, and free spirit who runs The Traveling Fro. She quit her full time job in New York City to travel the world. Through her blog and Instagram, she shows her followers how she pursued this life of passion and freedom without breaking the bank.

Quote: "Diverse representation is extremely important in the travel industry, just as it is in any other industry and the world. The world we live in today is not made up of only one type of person; however, the media does a great job of convincing us otherwise. It is important to represent different colors, cultures, backgrounds, shapes, and opinions. When we travel, we go to experience things different than what we are used to. Different culture, food, ways of life and different people. If those things are diverse, rich, and inclusive, why are we not representing that in the travel industry? When you explore a different country, most times a blond-haired, blue-eyed white girl isn't going to be what everyone looks like, therefore we need to put more images out there of other types of people traveling and exploring the globe. Everyone has the opportunity to see what is beyond their world, and showing them that by representing people that look, think, and talk like them will only grow the travel industry and, more importantly, grow the mindset of others."

02

Ciara of Hey Ciara

Ciara runs Hey Ciara, a travel blog for multicultural millennials. Study-abroad experiences in India, Panama, and South Africa inspired her to start her blog. After two years of working as an HR professional and saving money, she made the big leap of quitting her job to pursue full-time travel. She now aims to show people the importance of seeking immersive and meaningful experiences while abroad.

Quote: "As a young girl, I remember saying I wanted to travel the world like Samantha Brown on the Travel Channel. At the same time, this dream seemed so out of reach because I didn't know a world traveler that looked like me or came from where I came from. Things have changed since then, and it's refreshing to see that women of color are traveling now more than ever. However, we are still massively underrepresented in travel media. When we document our travels, we have the ability to change the global narrative by redefining what a traveler looks like. More importantly, we have the privilege to change our personal narratives by proving to ourselves that the world is indeed our oyster too."

03

Anubha of Finding True North

Anubha is the creator of Finding True North, an award-winning blog about life in Iqaluit, Nunavut (a remote town of 8,000 people in the Canadian Arctic). Anubha's writing led her to work in the film and television industry, where she currently works as a host and producer at Vice.

Quote: "The most obvious reason to document your work and travels as a woman of color is representation, to inspire others, to stand as a model for people who are like you. But of course, there is a perhaps more tacit, intrinsic benefit to this as well, on our own psyche; for I am a woman of color, too, and in writing, photographing, and sharing my travels, I am reminding myself that I did this, I can do that, I will do this, and that, and more."

04

Danasia of The Urban Realist

Danasia Fantastic runs a blog called The Urban Realist, a online resource that highlights the best in travel, design, and architecture. Danasia's interest in major city culture led her to living in Philadelphia, Brooklyn, and Miami prior to settling in Atlanta. These locations inspired her to create a place to express the energy she felt.

Quote: "I believe representation of women of color in the travel blogger industry is important to show others that the world is so much bigger then their current surroundings. Representation inspires hope for those who have intense feelings of wanderlust but feel that branching out and experiencing new places isn't meant for them. It can be so discouraging to research a city or location and not see anyone who looks like you visiting or writing about that place. It also alleviates fears for those who have wanted to travel but are scared to because of uncertainty about how they'd be treated based on the color of their skin. Diversity in travel blogging helps teach people of color that they too can hop on a plane and have life-changing experiences outside of what they've been taught."

05

Lavina of Continent Hop

Lavina of Continent Hop is a blogger who didn't quit her job to travel. She's a full-time engineer who loves her job so much that she figured out a way to balance work and blogging. She likes to show her followers that it's possible to be dedicated to your nine-to-five and find still find time to see the world.

Quote: "As women of color, I'm pretty sure just like me, many others have been looked at suspiciously! We have to go that extra mile to prove that we're just traveling and mean no harm even though we pay the same price for every experience! While many content creators create fabulous, dreamy content, unfortunately, even today, the online space is lacking people of color who write about it. When travelers of color share their journey, they aren't just showcasing brilliant writing or photography but showing others just like them where they are welcome. This is crucial as for many traveling is sometimes a 'once-a-year' thing, and negative incidents push people away from it rather than encourage it!"

06

Olivia Christine of O. Christine

Olivia Christine blogs at O. Christine and left the corporate world to travel and invest in her wellness. She was diagnosed with lupus nephritis when she was 16 years old but didn't want her health to dictate her path, so she saved up money and left on a lifelong adventure that allowed her lupus to improve to the point of going into remission.

Quote: "Not only is it important for us to document our travels and inspire women of color who believe travel isn't a possibility, [but] it is essential to take control of the stereotyped narrative that whitewashed media sells to the world about women of color. If they aren't going to represent us accurately — if at all — we need to represent ourselves. We need to force the industry to put their research and advertising dollars to work and better serve our needs as travelers."

07

Olga Maria of Dreams in Heels

Olga Maria is a digital nomad who runs Dreams in Heels and Latinas Who Travel. She's a free-spirited New Yorker who was born with wanderlust and a passion for food, coffee, and wine. Her goal is to inspire others to take the plunge into solo female travel and create a community for Latinas to be encouraged to share their journeys.

Quote: "The travel industry is one that hasn't been known for showcasing much diversity among its writers. I think now, in 2018, it's time for more representation by people of color, but more so women of color, to document and showcase that we not only travel, but that we can travel safely, in comfort and style, and do it in a responsible way. For me, by us documenting our travels, it's just one of the ways we can give back to our community! Let's inspire others to get out of their comfort zone and go experience for themselves what the world has to offer. As Latina women, we are so family-oriented, it's natural to share our experiences with others, the same way that family photos and stories are passed down to future generations. Traveling can transform your life forever. Plus, our unique perspective belongs in the world!"

08

Kenisha of Curvy Girl Travel

Kenisha Gill is a fashion designer who runs Curvy Girl Travel. She considers her fashion and travel hybrid experience as a way to show that one can look chic everywhere they go with a minimal wardrobe.

Quote: "The world is diverse; this is why we chose to explore it, experience and take a glimpse at a life we have never been exposed to. If the world is so beautifully diverse with people of all walks of life, why wouldn't the industry be equally represented? No two groups of individuals have the same takeaway from the same experiences. This travel industry should be represented by multiple groups that share one common love: to travel."

09

Star of 87PAGES

Star Lengas is a lifestyle and travel content creator of the blog 87PAGES. There she focuses on visual travelogues, Korean beauty, and the journey of creating your ideal happiness. She aims to spread her life motto of being authentic and living your best life.

Quote: "Growing up in the '90s, I was wildly fanciful. I had a map tacked to my wall, as I planned my gap year to Europe, where I would sip sangria and type away as the sun set in Morocco. Unfortunately, my eldest sister, who was the queen of logic, quickly burst my bubble, saying, 'You do realize you're not white right?' She was alluding to the stark reality that the travel space is catered towards a privileged set, who have the assets of time, rail passes, and Winters abroad. Fifteen years later, the travel industry has continued to provide a warped image of those who can/should travel. We see it, as we scroll through our social media posts, the bronzed influencers/bloggers who lounge on the beaches of Thailand or twirl through lavender fields. It feeds into this false narrative of the haves/have-nots and unfailingly places a chip on the shoulder of the women and people of color who are arrogantly questioned about their place in the first class or how they could afford to travel or better yet, why they would even want to. The simple fact of the matter is that women and people of color want to be seen, whether it's in film, music, or a fantasy character in a book. All people gravitate toward familiar images. We seek out those who look like us and who can affirm that, yes, we belong here. Diverse representation matters, because we need to know that we aren't alone, that our many stories are not only being told but that they matter, that there is no one archetype we must affiliate ourselves with; and because we deserve to be seen."

10

Jewels of TravelJewels

Jewels runs the blog TravelJewels. She was born and raised in NYC which enabled her to be exposed to many cultures while growing up. Her first international trip came in college when she studied abroad in South Africa and learned about how misrepresented Africa was in the media, which inspired her to want to see even more of the world.

Quote: "Traveling for me is about satisfying my curiosity to learn more about world; to see the world and be seen in the world. The essence of travel isn't about sharing stories about one particular type of traveler — it's about the exchange between individuals and environments that can transform one's perspective. We live in a world filled with people of various backgrounds and unique experiences, and the travel industry would be remiss to not tap into this magic."

11

Aileen of I Am Aileen

Aileen is a travel vlogger and blogger at I Am Aileen. She's a Filipino who quit her corporate job at 21 to create her own business and see the world. One of her goals is to show that the travel lifestyle is possible no matter the circumstances and odds that you may have in your life.

Quote: "The way I see it, diversity is important in the travel blogging industry because it helps inspire people to see that the pursuit and the accomplishment of a travel lifestyle is truly possible for just about anyone. Besides, with diversity, there will also be more opportunities for individuals to resonate with bloggers who have the same background, culture, and experiences as they do on a personal level."

12

Sojourner of Sojournies

Sojourner is an AmeriCorps Service Member who shares adventures on Sojournies. Her passion for international travel led her to study abroad in Spain and then later return to teach English as a Fulbright Scholar. The psychology major in her inspires her to encourage others to expand both their geographical and mental boundaries.

Quote: "In Fulbright, we always talked about how crosscultural experiences enhance mutual understanding between people. I believe that 10,000 percent. But with the travel industry, it's hard to live that truth when the majority of travelers come from the same nationality, race, sexual orientation, class, body type, even hair texture! Having more diverse representation means more cultural awareness, new perspectives, and deeper conversations. More people can be inspired by fresh faces, and voices, to pursue their travel dreams. No matter where they are."

13

Sarah of Fashraveldon

Sarah is a British travel and food blogger at Fashraveldon. She considers herself just your average girl in a nine-to-five office job, but all the while constantly contemplating where her next adventure will be. She seeks new destinations and high-quality food and likes to share the tips she learns along the way.

Quote: "As people, we have the desire to learn and explore the world around us. People call my lifestyle a 'vacation' where I call it 'self reflection,' a deeper understanding of who am as a character. When traveling abroad, the one thing that all travelers will look out for is authenticity. We are curious of the unfamiliar surroundings and we immerse ourselves in that culture. This is what brings us together."