Black people have been subjugated for the past five or six centuries. It is a millisecond in the full scope of humanity but the current consequences are deep and devastating and will require centuries to correct. So it is no wonder that Black people often confuse service with servitude. I travel all over the world and as much as I Iove Black nations, the beauty and the energy, I am more often than not underwhelmed if not furious with the lack of service, professionalism and attention to detail and aesthetic. It makes it hard for someone like me who plans excursions for Africans of the diaspora who come from the west and are use to a certain level of care while on vacation or business. I find myself avoiding African and Caribbean destinations because I know that the subpar service will only hurt my business. It is honestly why I have done many more trips to South East Asia than I would have if this reality was different. I am actively seeking businesses in Black nations that meet the standards in which to partner. In a business like mine you need a country and property to conspire with you to produce an amazing travel experience. If I am honest Black nations are not holding up their end of the partnership. However my goal is to flood Black nations with the 63 billion dollar travel money that African Americans put in the market last year. So I cut my profit margins, fly in to the country where I am creating the trip and work with each property and vendor to make sure I work out as many kinks as possible before the group hits the flight.
I love serving others. I love the joy of creating an experience that people will never forget. I realize I have this ability because service is directly linked to your self esteem. I know who I am and so being in service to others does not diminish me. I can serve because I always feel equitable to the people I am serving. This is the core of the problem. We have to work on recovering our dignity as Black people so that we don’t feel less than and can take our rightful place in the world and compete in the global market effectively. And it works both ways the Black traveler has to do the same, so that they don’t find themselves acting out the role of the slave master and colonists. I have experienced first hand what it is like when the customer is trying to build themselves by making you feel less than, treating you as their servant rather than their service provider.
We have work to do my people. We have a world to see and nations to strengthen. We need to heal to do both of these things. Love, T.
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