Today we’d like to introduce you to Anita Francois.
Anita, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My story begins in London, United Kingdom. I was born to a Seychellois mother and a Haitian-American father. Their story is one in its own right, so I will only continue with my own. I was born in 1990 in East London. My family struggled often to keep food on the table, but we strived nonetheless. I wasn’t interested in much at school, aside from Media and Music, so I decided to take these courses through to university. This also inspired me to write music and screenplays and throughout much of secondary school (high school) and college (ages 16-18), I wrote and recorded a few songs under the genre of ‘Grime.’ I worked with friends, participated in rap battles, and even worked with producers in other parts of Europe. The music never became mainstream in the UK, but it was known “underground” for a short period of time.
Fast forward to university, I had completed my Bachelor’s in TV Production but lost interest in Media, so I decided to Master in Archaeology at UCL (number 7 in the world at the time), as I had always had an interest in Ancient History. At the same time I was waiting on the approval of my Permanent Residency status in the US. The approval came through shortly before I began my studies at UCL, but I stuck through it anyway. Before moving to the US, I had joined a ‘Sega’ dance (traditional dance of the Seychelles) group and performed at a variety of events for over a year, I had taken the opportunity to go on some archaeological digs, and had also decided to stay in the Seychelles for some time while writing my thesis. While in the Seychelles, I was featured in ‘Potpourri Magazine’ for a pageant I had recently participated in and also had my thesis published for the National Archives.
In 2014, I moved to the US permanently (thanks to my aunt and father) and started my career as an Archivist and Curator both with a few cultural organizations in the Miami-Dade/Broward area. I also work as an Independent Curator and have a solo exhibit coming soon entitled Hidden Residents. It is a focus on Afro-Indigenous cultures across the globe that are often unknown of. The first part of the series is called ‘The Negritos of Thailand’ and takes a look at the Mani people of Southern Thailand. Apart from culture, my love for travel began influencing ideas for my future. I have travelled to 26 countries in total (many of them more than once), and have travelled even less since moving to the States due to the decrease in PTO. This restriction of movement has influenced my recent ventures ‘Travel Moor Often’ and the ‘Black Travel Summit.’
‘Travel Moor Often’ is a travel directory tour marketplace marketing tours run by and inclusive of people of color. I founded this company because of the insurgance of travel groups that have been created in the Black travel industry. There are companies out there like Intrepid Travel, so I figured that people of color can have a tour marketplace too! The Black travel trend is booming and was worth over $90 million last year in the States alone.
The ‘Black Travel Summit’ piggybacks off of ‘Travel Moor Often’ in that its goal is to bring together these same travel groups, travelers, professionals, and inventors in the Black travel industry in an environment where we can learn from one another, discuss topics concerning travelling while Black, and as an opportunity to discuss entrepreneurship and creating careers in travel.
I don’t see these organizations as an exclusion to others, but as a celebration and welcoming of others into our culture. If we can have a travel summit celebrating women’s achievements, I believe we can also do the same for people of color.
For updates on the ‘Hidden Residents’ exhibit, you can e-mail me on afrancois@curatingculture.co.uk.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been struggles, but there have also been many good memories. It was quite difficult as a family to survive in London in the 90s. Me and my brothers were first-generation Brits and the difficulty our mother had in raising us was due to the lack of opportunities there were for low-income families.
These, and other struggles, are circumstances I wouldn’t trade as I am a true believer that our past builds our future. We are doing well now, but life doesn’t come without its obstacles.
Please tell us about Black Travel Summit.
The ‘Black Travel Summit’ aims to bring together travel groups, travelers, professionals, merchants, and inventors in the Black travel industry in an environment where we can learn from one another, discuss topics concerning travelling while Black, and as an opportunity to discuss entrepreneurship and creating careers in travel.
I am the Founder & CEO and pretty much a Jack-of-all-trades. I am also blessed to have a team with experience in planning and hosting events of their own and for renowned institutions. I am most proud of the company’s nature. It is a new trajectory for the Black travel Industry and one where, rather than competing, all companies have the opportunity to come together to showcase their own stories and inspire others.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. I could say that I wish I’d have travelled less and saved more to be able to begin investing in real estate sooner, but that would have taken away from the experiences I’ve had and the memories I’ve made during my travels.
If I passed away today, I could honestly say that I’ve had quite a life, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t plenty more that needs to be done!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blacktravelsummit.com; www.travelmooroften.com
- Phone: 7863228153
- Email: info@blacktravelsummit.com
- Instagram: @blacktravelsummit; @travelmooroften; @thelifeofablackwoman
- Facebook: @blacktravelsummit; @travelmooroften
- Twitter: @blktravelsummit
Image Credit:
Image in Thailand, Cambodia, Mexico and London: Frantzy Moreau
Image with African-inspired Jean’s skirt: Watson Dangervil
Image at Miss Afrique Francophone UK 2013: Chima Luke Okafor
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