Have you ever had dreams of traveling abroad or leaving the United States altogether? Multi-hyphenate entrepreneur and travel Nubia Younge once had those dreams of exploring the world, and more importantly, learning deeply about herself. Now, she’s giving the gift of travel to other Black women and educating them on how to successfully become expats and travel internationally, without regrets, doubts, or reservations.
Younge has beaten the odds, from being a single mother of two from the hood in Boston who didn’t get her passport stamped until she was 32, to traveling to over 40 countries and extensively living in Mexico and Thailand; she’s the living proof that Black women can thrive abroad, fabulously, while finding community. “What I realized community means is being seen and being represented. When I left abroad, I started seeing people who look like me, and it just felt like home. It felt like family, no matter where I was in the world. It brought a sense of joy, you know, a sense of joy that the unfortunate reality is, in the United States, people don’t walk around with that kind of joy,” Younge says to ESSENCE.
Younge’s journey to becoming an expat stemmed from being burned out, like many Black women. “It wasn’t until 2017 that I got laid off by corporate America. And at that point, girl, I was tired. I was tired of being tired. I was 38, going on 39, and I thought, ‘I’m not going to sit across from another person trying to prove my worth to get this job; I’m not doing it.’ At that point, my daughter had already left for college. My son was about to graduate from high school, so I withdrew my 401 (k) funds, bought a one-way ticket to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and sent my son to live with his dad to complete his high school education. I said I left on my what I like to call a pursuit, the pursuit of all things, the pursuit of happiness, freedom, love, all of the things, to see what was out there. For me, it was my Eat, Pray, Love journey,” she shares.
Her journeys abroad led her to become the founder of Black In Tulum, Black In Travel, and Black in Tulum. On these pioneering platforms, Black travelers and digital nomads can connect, thrive, and foster a sense of community. Ori Table, her newest venture and lifestyle brand, focuses on the Yoruba tradition, which translates to “divine alignment,” and also means the head.
“These retreats are going to be very intimate, usually eight people total, in luxurious places around the world where you’re investing in yourself, you’re investing in rest, you’re investing in the environment” – she explains of her intent around sustainability – “but we’re also doing maybe a workshop or two within the retreat centered around giving your life even ‘more.’ If your ‘more’ is wanting to be an entrepreneur, scale your business or whatever,” she explains, “Then we’ll discuss those things, because as women who have often given the best of ourselves to others, it is actually we who are most deserving.”
She continues, “Ori Table started from my understanding that black women deserve rest and wealth and alignment, all of the things. I needed to exude and live the same life that I’m telling women they should tap into. I thought, ‘Let’s just start doing these intimate, curated experiences.’ No more than 10 people. Think boutique accommodations, wellness, spa experiences, cultural immersions, Sister Circles, and workshops and panels on rest. I want people who attend my retreats to understand that they are safe with me, and I’m going to provide a space to share stories transparently.”
When it comes to creating her travel group, Black In Tulum, it emerged from her observation of a surge in Black travelers in Tulum, Mexico, and her desire to curate an authentic community. “I noticed a small group of other Black travelers and decided to host a brunch on the beach for us. At that time, there weren’t many Black folks living there, let alone any real Black social network, so the brunch, which I organized for free, was a hit, and word spread quickly. That day, I created a Facebook group called “Black in Tulum,” and the community grew from 25 to 28,000 in just four years.”
“Despite having like, zero, professional background in travel, I’ve always had a passion for hospitality and bringing people together,” says the former administrative assistant and corporate meeting planner who, over the last five years, has watched “Black In Tulum” blow up so big it spawned unrelated “Black In” movements in dozens of countries worldwide – from Thailand to Portugal – causing her to trademark it eventually. “Quarantined in Tulum during the Pandemic,” she explains,” I noticed a small group of other Black travelers and decided to host a brunch on the beach for us. At that time, there weren’t many Black folks living there, let alone any real Black social network, so the brunch, which I organized for free, was a hit, and word spread quickly. That day, I created a Facebook group called “Black in Tulum,” and the community grew from 25 to 28,000 in just four years.”
The business model, which connects Black people through travel, skyrocketed, and in turn, quickly evolved into her first full-fledged business. From 2020 to 2023, Black in Tulum emerged as a significant hub for Black American travelers, connecting Tulum to Playa del Carmen, now one of the world’s top destinations for Black American expatriates.
Now, with luxury retreats, she’s raising the bar for Black women travelers, so they can have the opportunity to experience life-changing moments abroad, similar to Younge. Nowadays, Younge travels up to 200 days per year, so she can have more time in countries to experience their cultures. She wanted to focus on slower, more immersive travel. However, she’s aware that many Black women don’t have that luxury but tries to encourage them to release the following, if they are becoming bogged down by those factors. “The three Fs, family, fear, and finance, those are the three things that would keep you from doing anything in life if you allow it, not because they’re trying to do it, or not because it’s a negative, mainly because it’s just what you’re conditioned to do,” Younge states.
She continues, “I’m getting emotional because when I tell you I didn’t understand the level of survival that we (Black women) live in until I was gone, and how there were many nights I cried because I was just in a state of what I felt like was loneliness? You’re shedding all of the things that you thought were life, and then you realize you’ve been lied to all your life, because America teaches you not to go to these places because it’s “unsafe.” And then you get there and you’re welcomed. The food is fresh, and the air is clean. There are so many different ways to look at life, and people are happy.”
Thriving and being seen is essential to Younge, as she felt like her personhood wasn’t being accepted and valued while she was living in America. She revealed to me that she identifies as queer and has found more acceptance abroad. “I believe thriving is joy. It’s connection, and it’s again, I can’t continue. I have things as we’re being seen, so like, I thrive best in areas where I’m acknowledged. It’s not about what I do, but just for who I am as a person. I thrive in spaces where I feel joy and happiness. I love seeing our Black men smiling. I love seeing our queer people out there. Like being proud,” she says. “I come from an era where, in the 90s, when I came out, you didn’t even see depictions of queer black women at all.”
Younge continues, “I believe that this journey that I have been on, since I packed those bags and I left, brought me back to myself. I had to learn how to love myself. I had to learn how to thrive and navigate this world alone, but not lonely.
