Friends of Patricka Hogue were already referring to her as the nomad. Even though she had been to dozens of countries—at least 60 as of the most recent count—by 2012, she longed for a group of Black fellow tourists with whom she could share her experiences.
She then discovered the Nomadness Travel Tribe, a Facebook group that currently has 37,000 members.
She said, “I literally found my tribe.”
Thousands of Black travelers, including Hogue, have created online and offline networks focused on seeing the world. Many members claim that the groups have created enduring friendships and resulted in weddings, even as they exchange restaurant recommendations and images that make people jealous. In the worst situations, the organizations have acted quickly during emergencies. Fundamentally, the organizations support more Black individuals traveling the world. According to Pew Research Center data from 2021, only 49% of Black Americans have been overseas, compared to 75% of white Americans.
Evita Robinson, the founder of Nomadness Travel Tribe, has visited roughly 40 countries. She started the group in 2011 with just 100 members to satisfy her own urge to connect with other Black travelers, and it quickly expanded. Members of Nomadness and others frequently plan smaller group travels outside of their online groups in addition to uniting as a traveling community.
Robinson, a 40-year-old resident of Newark, New Jersey, said it was lovely to watch these people, especially youthful Black and brown travelers, sort of join together in a home online before venturing into something that existed offline.
A cultural awakening
According to Hogue, joining has significantly changed my life.
After years of traveling, Hogue felt completely out of place when she returned to her hometown of New Orleans in 2013 after briefly residing in South Korea. She has accompanied members on five group travels since joining Nomadness, including her favorite trip to India in March 2015. Members received personalized saris, went to the Taj Mahal, and celebrated Holi, a Hindu holiday that honors love and rebirth.
“It was such a breath of fresh air to find this online community of fellow travelers and people who also had, like, an almost insatiable curiosity about the world,” said Hogue, 43. I didn’t think I was all that weird.
Robinson claimed that the reason she started Nomadness was to assist in removing racial, socioeconomic, and religious obstacles to international travel. She claimed that before social media, many Black people grew up believing things like “Black people don’t go there” and that overseas travel was only considered a luxury. However, more individuals can now travel because to the rise of businesses like Lyft and Airbnb, she said.
Robinson offers payment options as one method to make her tours affordable for tourists. Before airfare, the typical cost of a nomadic trip is between $2,000 and $3,500.
According to Hogue, her 2015 trip to India with Nomadness cost $410, which covered lodging, meals, and a number of activities. Hogue claimed that she was able to travel to South Africa, Bali, and Costa Rica because of the organization’s reasonable rates.
Members of the Nomadness community post travel delays and requests for suggested trips. They also share updates on the new places they’re living in, along with pictures of their meals and travels. Members also seek recommendations from one another regarding safe travel destinations; at the moment, members are favoring South Africa, Portugal, and Japan.
A member of the National Brotherhood of Skiers, Reggie Cummings, traveled to Japan in 2016 to go skiing. Cummings, who is from Atlanta, stated, “It was literally the best week of my life because 180 people showed up, even though the group only expected 12.” He founded The Black Travel Movement shortly after, and it currently has over 539,000 Facebook members.
According to Cummings, the platform was developed so that we could share our tales and listen to those of different civilizations. In the Black Travel Movement group, he recently posted a check-in for members who are joining the group’s trip to Havana. Other group members frequently ask for restaurant recommendations for vacations inside the US and share pictures of their favorite foreign travel spots.
Depending on the location, Black Travel Movement trips might cost anywhere from $2,500 to $4,500, according to Cummings. Ghana, whose Year of Return in 2019 marked 400 years since the first African slaves landed in Virginia, is one of the well-known destinations. Many African Americans were enticed to visit by the year-round program, which was so well-liked that some visitors relocated to Ghana.
“For Black travelers, especially those going to Africa, it’s all about cultural immersion when it comes to excursions,” Robinson added. Tourists assist the local community by dining at neighborhood eateries and shopping at neighborhood shops.
Robinson stated, “I believe this is the reason Africa is booming, as people are realizing that it’s not all safaris out here the way we’ve been pitched our entire lives.” Parties are held. The arts exist. The collective exists. There are volunteer opportunities and ways to give back. We, as travelers, are interested in all of that.
The power of community
Members of Nomadness have encountered a number of unforeseen difficulties when traveling overseas. However, Robinson stated that we physically turn up when shit hits the fan when horrible things happen.
A van accident occurred in 2015 as a group of Nomadness members were traveling through an area outside of Panama City. Two members lost their lives and several others were hurt. Tens of thousands of dollars were contributed by Nomadness members in just four days to help cover the injured members’ medical expenses and assist others in returning to the United States.
According to Robinson, the community pulled together in a way that I had never witnessed. Robinson and two other members came to Panama because these were our people and they needed our assistance, even though Nomadness wasn’t the official host of the trip.
“We support each other,” Robinson remarked. This isn’t just a social media post that you’ve seen. In the real world, we are physical.
According to 42-year-old Tushunda Wright, a Nomadness community engagement lead, “you’d be surprised how many times we’ve saved each other during difficult times.” In addition to addressing prejudice, you know, if someone was robbed or lost their passport.
Up to 600 travelers of color have attended the annual Nomadness Fest for the past five years, where they have discussed a range of subjects, such as accessibility and portrayal of LGBTQ people in travel. This year, the group’s two main goals are data collecting and narrative for travelers of color.
According to Hogue, many friendships, partnerships, marriages, and companies have their roots in nomadic lifestyles. “That is the essence of Black happiness,” she continued.