I’m a Black-American female Capricorn, born and raised in Southern California. I preamble with those details to point out that my late, but intentional migration to the sustainable travel side was inevitable. Still, it took living in a village in the Balkans as a Volunteer for the US Peace Corps to awaken my advocacy for sustainability. Backpacking solo for three years at the close of my service cemented the importance of my visibility. Naturally, while networking, I migrate toward scrolling social media accounts that also favor advocacy and visibility as a BIPOC. If you’re curious about those, then continue reading to learn a few BIPOC sustainable travelers worth following. 

The Sustainable Travel Movement

As shocking as it is, I still meet adults that are ignorant of the terms ecotourism or sustainable travel. When the adult is a BIPOC, though, I get jazzed at the opportunity to call them in from the fray. Let me pause here to explain something important; BIPOC is an acronym for Black, Indigenous, persons of color. And when I say call them in, I mean to begin an educational dialogue about the topics and why it’s important as a BIPOC to be involved in the sustainable travel movement. 

The pandemic bringing the world to a slow screeching halt has given eco movements across the spectrum a boost in popularity. Chief among them being sustainable travel methods like experience travel, eco-communes, or minimalism via van life. But, better late than never, right? 

Why Representation Matters

It’s as if the masses suddenly woke up to their dependence on tech and material objects. Closets around the world were Marie Kondo-ing like mad. And humanity’s eyes blinked again to see the world healing itself without us taking to the seas and skies in troths. Thanks to social distancing, nature was trending. This opened the gates entirely for the sustainable travel movement to flood its way into the mainstream media.

Diving deeper, we find the power of understanding interconnectedness, which only elevates the importance of BIPOC visibility in sustainable travel. 

Intersectional Environmentalism

Earth-focused young minds like Greta Thornburg are shining examples of the power of one. Another young female, not as widely known, is Aniya Butler. This young lady helps lead a youth-run climate action group amplifying melanated voices surrounding environmentalism for the organization known as Youth Vs. Apocolypse.  Equipping her peers with environmental literacy to be passed on to generations to come. 

Grasping tightly to the fundamentals of advocacy, this young lady is responsible for coordinating climate strikes with tens of thousands of attendees. All of whom have been enlightened by the idea of intersectional environmentalism. Therefore seeing the connections between human, social and environmental injustices. 

This “Social Media Age” has its yin and yang, of course. But when BIPOCs use the power of visibility for good, it benefits generations to come while inspiring existing generations that change is possible. It’s the idea that made Obama so popular, right?

Let’s continue in the direction of visibility. 

On the note of visibility, be sure to check out Everyone Travels: Travel Writing by Authors of Color

BIPOC IG Accounts of Interest

If we apply this idea of visibility to the sustainable travel industry, we find our sweet spot. The upswing in BIPOC adventure travel most definitely inspires me to keep going. By being a light for others we unconsciously give others permission to shine too. And shining a bright light on environmentalism benefits humanity as a whole. 

Here are five BIPOC sustainable travelers worth following:

  1. @blackadventurecrew: This family takes adventure as seriously as they do the environment. As outdoor enthusiasts, they take to the outdoors frequently. Camping, caving, exploring as a unit. The importance of this kind of visibility in the BIPOC community is priceless.  

 

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A post shared by Zenovia (@blackadventurecrew)

  1. @life_as_a_permanent_ecotourist: An account rich in sustainable-based content with a focus on highlighting innovative eco-brands. The content found here is delivered from a global perspective and incites discussions about planet care, eco-tourism, and interconnected environmentalism. 

 

  1. @outdoorsydiva: This account brings nature and adventure to you while advocating for BIPOC to spend more time outdoors. This account emphasizes the importance of visibility for BIPOC in nature reserves or national parks around the globe. 

 

 

  1. @psimonmyway: A Filipina girl in a big, big world. This digital nomad and travel blogger uses her platform to advocate for females. Planted firmly in education and empowerment, its Founder is also an ambassador for Girl Rising.

  1. @deafinitelywanderlust: Courageous, female, Mexican-American, and deaf. With a Youtube channel littered with traveling tips and eco-tricks for deaf travelers covering topics such as inclusion, human rights, and mental health. Content like powdered sugar sifted on top of fresh Belgian waffles and strawberry jam, this young woman takes the cake – literally. 

 

 

Celebrating these BIPOC’s on the frontlines of the sustainable living and travel movements is relevant now more than ever. As the trend continues to take an upswing in popularity, I anticipate more accounts will follow suit. 

Which BIPOC accounts inspire you? Let us know on Twitter!