BlackTrekking: Connecting with Black Cultural Heritage from Colombia to Ghana with Stephanie Claytor (Ep 128)

Hear how living abroad shaped her connection to Black heritage and inspired her to help others explore their own roots. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Stephanie Claytor takes us on her journey growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, traveling around the U.S. as a kid, and eventually kicking off her world travel journey by studying abroad in the Dominican Republic. Stephanie reflects on her experience living in the DR at age 19, the impact that had on her life, lessons learned, and how it inspired her future travel journey. She then talks about her experience living in Colombia as part of the Fulbright program, connecting with Afro-Colombian heritage, interviewing internally displaced Colombians, and having a blast salsa dancing and going to Carnival. Stephanie also reflects on the racial profiling and other problematic racial dynamics she observed while traveling in Latin American. She then shares the inspiration for writing her memoir “BlackTrekking: My Journey Living in Latin America” and explains what people can expect from the book. Stephanie then shares her reflections on her trip to Ghana, including her visit to the Slave Castles and her participation in a traditional “Naming Ceremony”. She then talks about her blog, Blacktrekking.com, which focuses on Black cultural heritage around the world. She also shares some examples of important Black heritage destinations in the U.S. that she has visited and written about. Stephanie explains why her goal is to inspire more Black Americans to travel the world and live abroad. She reflects on her minimalism, why she prioritizes experiences over material items, and how and why she intends to integrate world travel into her son’s life. She concludes by sharing why she continues to travel, what travel means to her at this point in her life, and her top tips for Black world travelers. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU See my Top 10 Travel Apps See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!