I recently had the honor of attending my very first Nomadness Fest in vibrant, culturally rich Charlotte — which also happens to be my new home city.
This event was organized by Evita Turquoise Robinson, who is the founder and CEO of the Nomadness Travel Tribe, a digital travel community of over 36,000 members that was launched in 2011; it’s primarily composed of Black and brown travelers. After her own experiences when living and traveling abroad, Robinson noticed a lack of representation of travelers of color. This prompted her to create a space for people of color to share their travel experiences, connect with one another and gain resources for travel.
The theme for this year’s festival was “The Future is Ours: Reimagining Bipoc Travel.” It set the stage for inspiring conversation, deep discussions and cultural exchanges about the travel experiences of Black, Indigenous and people of color.
There were three days filled with unforgettable topics. These were some of the highlights for me:
Day 1 — Industry day (networking) and culture conversations: Travel advisors, tour operators, influencers and press connected with destinations and travel brands. Later, there was an exclusive, invitation-only evening with Attallah Shabazz, the eldest daughter of Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X and ambassador-at-large to Belize.
Day 2 — City tour and experiences: The city tour was curated and executed by Dianna Ward from Charlotte NC Tours. Sponsored by the Charlotte Tourism Board, we explored the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture and the city’s Historic West End and enjoyed lunch and experiences at Optimist Hall.
Day 3 — Festival day: We engaged in various travel-related topics, building up to the finale keynote panel titled “Tourism Meets Activism: The State of the World in 2024”; it featured Robinson, travel journalist Imani Bashir and digital nomad podcaster and real estate investor Matthew Bowles.
The final segment of the Nomadness Festival was “Conversations with Evita.” This private conversation touched on Robinson’s latest pivot toward Bipoc storytelling, which has earned her an Emmy, and explored the driving force behind this shift. She also opened the floor to attendees for questions. The day was also filled with local vendors and a DJ spinning music throughout the event.
Takeaways from the festival? Here are a few:
- Empowering us to reshape how stories are told and shared through the latest innovations in travel technology and media.
- Exploring ways to enhance and enrich travel experiences for Bipoc communities, emphasizing the importance of leisure in our journeys.
- Highlighting initiatives and strategies to make positive change through travel, proving our adventures can contribute to the greater good.
The festival was also a weekend of invaluable networking opportunities, enlightening educational sessions and unforgettable moments of entertainment. I enjoyed connecting with fellow travelers, sharing stories, building new friendships and fellowship within an incredible travel community.
Why does the Nomadness Festival matter? The festival is a testament to the power of diversity and inclusion in the travel industry. It’s a platform that elevates voices often overlooked, fuels innovation and enables us to collectively drive meaningful change. We engaged in discussions that challenged perceptions, promoted cultural awareness and inspired us all to travel with purpose and pride.
Reflecting on this festival weekend, I am filled with new ideas, motivation and a renewed sense of commitment to bringing even more “Sparkle” into our travel community. The energy was infectious, the dialogues were insightful and the overall vibe was uplifting.
