Is your travel destination safe for black people?
My name is Mishana Sturdivant and I run Tad Bit Rad Travels. The purpose of this blog is to share tips, tricks, and recommendations to empower my readers to travel efficiently and unapologetically. I’m also a very opinionated woman who will share my thoughts on trending topics occasionally.
I enjoy scrolling social media travel content and stumbling across lists of safe destinations for black people. Travelers from around the world share their personal experiences in some of the most popular destinations. Their content also helps me prepare for upcoming trips and adjust my list of must-visit destinations. However, there seems to be controversy about this type of content. Some viewers believe that the United States of America isn’t safe for black people, so what does it matter if other destinations around the world aren’t safe? There are similar responses to solo travelers who post content about whether a destination made them feel safe or not, some viewers chime in about their personal experiences to invalidate the original poster’s experience.
It bothers me that this type of content is controversial or mistaken for irrelevant. I am very aware that xenophobia and ethnocentrism exist. Xenophobia is when someone is prejudiced against people from another country. Ethnocentrism is when you view your culture as better and as a result are extremely judgmental or hateful of other cultures. I don’t believe fellow travelers intend to be xenophobic or ethnocentric when sharing their experiences in other countries. However, there’s a way to share your experiences, help others plan for their upcoming travels, and respect other countries. Here are my tips for that.
1. Make sure you let your viewers know that you are speaking from your personal experience and are not generalizing statements about the country, its people, and its culture. For example, “this destination is unsafe for black people” vs. “I felt unsafe in this destination as a black woman”. The first statement is too general, but the latter focuses on your personal experience.
2. Share reasons why the destination felt unsafe to you and warn others what to look out for. Be as helpful, culturally sensitive, and considerate as possible.
The truth is the United States of America can be unsafe for black people. Anti-blackness and sexism are everywhere in the world. However, I also believe that everyone has their own experiences and should be able to use their platform to share those experiences. It’s helpful. If a solo black female traveler shares her personal experience of feeling unsafe in Barcelona, Spain, or Milan, Italy, I would personally love to hear her story. Her story would help me as a fellow solo black female traveler and aid my research on what to look out for in these destinations. I won’t cancel plans to visit, but I would better prepare myself for the journey. With that being said, let’s be a bit kinder and assume good intentions in our traveler communities.
