Travelling alone gives you unique experiences, as does travelling:

• As a couple.
• With kids.
• As a British or European.
• Or East Asian.
• South Asian.

And so on.

But travelling as a black person has its own unique FACTS as well challenges, experiences, and perspectives only those who relate can understand.

Let’s talk about it.

1. Anti-Black exists in many countries and cultures, even if silently

I went to college with a white woman and idk what made her comfortable enough to tell me that her father said she could be with anyone as long as they wasn’t African American or Mexican BUT he hopes she marries her own kind, which she ended up doing so.

— 🫶🏿 SUH-RYE 🤎 (@iamsarai) October 22, 2022

You are allowed to marry White in every culture and it is either considered a step up or a lateral move.

— Dr. Paco Hinton Jr Podcaster (@DrPacoHinton) October 22, 2022

The WEST is where this is the most prevalent of any country, of course. They started this shit with their propaganda machine.

That includes:

• The UK.
• America.
• Australia.
• Canada.

And France by extension on some level, given their history.

And that’s in spite of the mental gymnastics people will go through to deny it.

In America it’s covert but with a strong element of overtness. In the UK and other Western countries, it’s more covert but can be overt from time to time (more so body language and so on).

That doesn’t mean the UK is full of ignorant people or any Western country because it’s not, but the anti-black rhetoric is real and it assumes all black people are the same.

I have first-hand experience.

This stretches to certain East Asian countries where you see “whitening” creams and the obsession with whiteness is prevalent like South Korea.

This may not be related to white people themselves, but it plays out that way as a result.

QUOTE from Wikipedia:

“Korean children also show a tendency to discriminate against Africans and people of African descent. According to 2015 paper by So Jung Kim published in Education Research International, Korean children show negative responses to darker-skin characters in picture book illustrations. This attitude of children is seen as a reflection of their parent’s anti-blackness prejudice towards black people and white-dominant surroundings.”

Then there is India.

Some people in India made a bogus “educational animation video” giving the impression that the Coronavirus started with Black people in Africa.

The reality is, there are ZERO Black people in Africa with the Coronavirus https://t.co/VukBu84JfP via @YouTube

— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) March 6, 2020

India has its own problems with things like this. During the pandemic, someone made an anti-black video claiming Africa caused the coronavirus, and what’s more problematic is how big the video got meaning how many were supporting the idea so freely.

I never saw anyone in mass numbers calling it out.

'They said if you're black, you should walk'

Nigerian student Jessica has kept in touch with us about her journey out of Ukraine. She is among the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the country, and one of many #AfricansinUkraine who have described facing racism at borders. pic.twitter.com/OTTx6wxVDY

— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) March 1, 2022

During the Ukraine war, the beginning of it, many Ukrainians had time to be RACIST towards black people despite being under threat of going to war with Russia, which makes no sense in a logical person’s mind.

It was common among so many black people in Ukraine.

As a black man was being harassed, humiliated, pulled by his hair, and forced to take a selfie at the beach, NOBODY DID ANYTHING.

ACTUALLY PEOPLE GATHERED TO WATCH THIS

Happened in Israel so you can’t speak about it because you know Anti-Semitism 😒 pic.twitter.com/lnsXflXKjZ

— StanceGrounded (@_SJPeace_) December 12, 2022

Similar things happen in Israel when it comes to black people’s treatment.

Some of it is in broad daylight without repercussions or criticism. And most importantly, without OUTRAGE on social media. But I won’t say this is across all the Middle East (it’s not).

As pointed out by the website Aljazeera:

“To be fair, racist comments from state-paid rabbis aren’t exactly a rarity in Israel. Israel’s other chief rabbi, Yisrael Lau, used the N-word to describe Black athletes on his very first day in office in July 2013.”

And of course, this stretches to East Asia on some level as well.

I remember in high school this Vietnamese boy told me his parents were so against him dating black & that if he ever brought home a black girl they’d financially cut him off 🥴 & they were rich as hell. Yikes

— 𝔞𝔰𝔥 (@ashleyabdon_) October 22, 2022

I have a cousin that married into a Vietnamese family. Now mind you, if you lined the whole family up from lightest to darkest, he a single digit. And even now, after 30 years and 4 kids, they still don’t fully accept him. I asked him how u deal with that?

— The Black Rusty Shackleford, ESQ (@GunnaSmokin) October 22, 2022

When specifically talking about the black experience (not the YouTube channel), this takes place in the Middle East, South Asia, South America (a lesser extent), Europe (a lesser extent to a degree), and sadly, even in Black countries on some level.

The world is a big place and you’re not going to experience anti-black rhetoric, attitudes, and bullshit everywhere you go from 100% of the people who may live wherever it may be. That would be the same ignorant mindset being perpetuated by those racists when it comes to black people.

But the fact that it does exist is real and no amount of mental gymnastics is gonna change that, neither will those who in comment sections try to deny that this is even a thing. Or try to deny someone’s reality because it makes them uncomfortable by extension (because they are from the same culture or country as those who are racist within it).

It’s not just the elephant in the room, it’s the YELLOW elephant in the room everybody can see, has acknowledged, and can’t deny unless they are part of the problem behind closed doors and support that foolishness but don’t have the balls to say it.

2. Many people are complicit by staying silent

“To be silent is to be complicit.” – Richard Edelman

In the UK for example, a person could be racist towards a black person and everyone, almost 10 times out of 10, will stay silent and not say anything. Even if they themselves aren’t racist, making them complicit in the racism.

I’ve seen it for myself with other cultures. The shocking amount of white British who are racist towards Asians, only for other white people to be quiet and say nothing despite claiming they’re not “racist” also is surprising.

The word “Paki” is common in the UK and It’s rare to see other white people refusing to tolerate it when they see it in public from others of the same skin colour.

This happens with black people, across the world, where instead of someone of the same race calling out the person being racist towards a black person, they will stay silent, be complicit, but then have the audacity to get mad when you point it out and even try to deny your experiences.

You even see this with the internet in comment sections on many travelling videos where black people share their experiences of racism across the world in its entirety.

You also see this on a local level like Nurses in the NHS who deal with racism from their own patients, yet the white Nurses stay radio silent and have an attitude of “just get over it, that’s the way it is”.

Those who are complicit in anything that’s wrong may as well be associates because it’s no different in reality, and no different in practice

3. You can’t fight racism with racism

While travelling the world as a black expat, nomad, or whatever your situation is, getting mad about the potential racism towards black people or any negative individual experiences you have as a black person is pointless.

And the worst thing you can do is try to fight racism with even more racism.

Or start stereotyping let’s say, East Asians because of a few experiences (or a lot) you had with that particular culture of people.

Or being hostile towards let’s say, Muslims because you had some negative experiences with Muslims while on your travels.

You can’t change a racist mindset.

It’s impossible, Even if like in my case when growing up in Levenshulme, Manchester, you have a fight with a racist and beat the sh*t out of them (I was a kid), that alone won’t change their mindset and how they see you.

They’ll just be silent going forward, but the mentality won’t change no matter how well hidden and masked it is. So don’t waste your energy fighting racism with racism, or fighting racism with arguments, anger, getting heated, pissed off, and shouting at the top of your voice.

You just throw fuel on the fire.

4. You have to lead by example

There are many black travellers who are leading by example every day of the week, and most of them don’t have their own channel, blog, website, books, online platform, and all the rest of it.

They’re the average person who may have an offline business, a job, remote or otherwise, or someone who works online but just doesn’t talk about their experiences.

These black people should be praised and put on the highest pedestal since many lead by example across multiple countries.

Then there are black people like:

• The black experience Japan.
• Black Man Traveller.
• Myself, obviously.
• Joel Tamara.

And many other black people online who are leading by example. Many from the USA, Africa, and so on. They’re doing it in a way that opens up people’s minds who are willing to open their minds up to how things are rather than being closed-minded and stubbornly ignorant.

True, some black people will argue that it’s not our job to open the minds of people worldwide because of the propaganda machine the West pumps out on a regular basis, especially historically. But doing your part in spite of that doesn’t hurt and in the grand scheme of things, it does help.

It’s not about obligation, it’s about doing it because you can and you’re able.

5. You can’t let your experiences define you

St Annes On Sea, Beach.

I’ve had the kinds of racist experiences living in the UK alone that many would use as a reason to be hateful or paint everyone of a certain race with the same brush.

And I wouldn’t be mad at that person.

In the bigger picture way of thinking though, letting racist experiences define you, whether that is related to violence, mistreatment, prejudice, stabbings, shootings, robbery, denied entry, or anything else people can go through does you no good.

It’s an experience, it’s not WHO you are. It’s who they are if anything if they’re the ones trying to devalue you based on skin colour or culture.

Never let a person who’s beneath you define your character based on THEIR negative ways of thinking about the world and certain people in it.

Otherwise, you might as well be the same as them, spreading the same gospel as them, and the same nonsensical bullshit that doesn’t reflect reality and ultimately benefits no one.

6. You have to stand up for yourself and have boundaries

The worst thing you can do when dealing with an enemy or someone who makes it their mission to devalue you based on your skin colour or how you look, is to NOT stand up for yourself because it’s a hassle to do so.

It’s a hassle either way. Letting it slide only worsens the problem and makes people believe it’s OK and absolutely normal to treat you this way without any form of consequence.

That consequence can be in the form of boundaries. It’s called letting people know what you won’t tolerate and standing firm in that.

It doesn’t mean “violence” like many want to use to scapegoat black people even if it was justified. It means holding others accountable and nothing more.

This of course applies when the situation calls for it so context matters here.

This goes well with my point about leading by example. If staying quiet is your version of leading by example, then that becomes the example. It’s only when a group collectively says NO,  that shit ain’t right, that the group in question starts to be treated better even if the people who treat you better don’t necessarily like you.

Respect is the keyword.

7. We’re in this together

And lastly, black people need to accept and realize (especially when travelling) that we’re in this together, worldwide, regardless of our background, country of birth, or the various differences in the language we speak.

Do you really think because you’re “African American” that you’re any different, more special, or excluded from racism from certain countries or people?

ASAP ROCKY learned this the hard way when he went to Sweden, a place I WILL travel to, and he had a situation where 2 men were following him from his Hotel.

All that talk about “I don’t care what those black people are talking about, I’m living in the Hollywood hills” (Paraphrasing) didn’t work and he got humbled about his blackness quickly as fuck.

Not everyone looks at us like we’re of one body and of one mind. Obviously not.

But for those who do, the dumbest thing you can believe as a black person is that you’re somehow above it or better than other black people, and you’re somehow NOT in it together worldwide just because you “made it” or you live in a white neighbourhood or some other superficial reason that’s soaked in delusion.

We’re in it together,  and that’s how we should operate on a positive vibe.

In the end, despite everything I’ve said, it should NOT deter you from visiting these countries, seeing these places, and more of the places I didn’t mention, and the idea of it shouldn’t scare you away from travelling.

This is more about awareness so you don’t go to certain countries with your eyes closed and end up being SHOCKED by what could happen.

That said, once you accept these facts about travelling as a black person you can then be:

• Happier.
• Freer.
• Unrestricted.

And more willing to live your life without the chains of doubt, worry,  concern, racism, and defining yourself based on it which is the point of accepting these truths so you’re not a slave to it.

–

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