The Nursery, Bristol, England, Upfest 2018
The appalling killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and so many other black Americans, and the extraordinary protests in the U.S. and around the world that have erupted in response, are placing a long-needed spotlight on the inequitable and brutal treatment of black people in our country. These injustices occur in policing, health care, education, criminal justice, housing, employment, and all aspects of life. We at Euro Travel Coach want you to know where we stand. Black lives matter. This must stop. We stand in solidarity with the black community in the fight against systemic racism and injustice.
As Martin Luther King Jr. so eloquently put it: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
Ever since COVID-19 interrupted our travels, we've used our blog to share what we're eating, drinking, and doing in the interim, and ways to dream of travel when it is safe again. Because we are currently using our time to educate ourselves on systemic and institutional racism, we thought we would share some resources that have been enlightening for us. We've also included links to the websites of some brilliant black travel bloggers who inspire us.
Articles to Read
What is White Privilege, Really? | Teaching Tolerance
How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change | Medium
How Can I Cure My White Guilt | New York Times
A Vision of Restorative Justice | The United Methodist Church
Anti Racism Resources | Good Good Good Co.
Videos, Television and Documentaries to Watch
George Floyd, Minneapolis Protests, Ahmaud Arbery & Amy Cooper | The Daily Social Distancing Show
Police | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
A Class Divided | Frontline
When They See Us | Miniseries on Netflix
13th | Netflix Original Documentary
Podcasts to Listen To
A Weekend of Pain and Protests | The Daily
American Police | Throughline
A Decade of Watching Black People Die | Code Switch
Black Travel Bloggers to Follow
Eulanda & Omo Osagiede are London-based freelance writers. This couple makes you feel like you're a part of their adventures - if you read their blog, you'll probably want to be friends with them. Their photography and writing capture the essence of their destinations. Their recent post, "Dear Copenhagen - A Winter Love Letter in Photos," made us ache to return to the city!
Lee Litumbe is a Cameroonian born, American raised photographer and storyteller. Most recently, her blog has focused on her moving back to Africa to explore the continent because, as she puts it, "Africa needs more Africans to tell the world her story." The stunning photography on this blog is sur e to invoke a sense of wanderlust.
Dr. Nadeen White is a “Blogger by Day, Physician by Night.” She works full time as a pediatrician while simultaneously running an incredible food and wine focused travel blog, which is pretty amazing at any time, but it's especially meaningful during the time of COVID-19. She was interviewed on CNN about the impact of the pandemic on travelers.
Monet Hambrick is the woman behind this amazing family travel blog. She encourages families with young children to think beyond Disney World. We love the blog's motto: "if kids live there, kids can visit." We couldn't agree more!
While we strongly believe that travel helps us become more empathetic, understanding, and accepting, that is not enough. We are focused on listening, learning, growing, understanding, donating, voting and acting to make a difference. We invite you to join us. Together, we can be a catalyst for change.
We leave you with these quotes:
“The progress of the world will call for the best that all of us have to give.”
“If you are fortunate to have opportunity, it is your duty to make sure other people have those opportunities as well.”