Building An Inclusive Travel Industry With Justine Abigail Yu and Ariel Goldberg
We all know the incredible and transformative impact travel can have on us. But, have you ever really reflected on the impact you leave on travel?
The way you interact with locals? How your behavior could be disrespectful, or controversial, towards the local culture and community? How your privilege could lead to continued oppression?
From understanding the impacts of voluntourism and white saviorship, to being conscious of your presence, decisions, and actions in destination, there’s a lot to learn in creating an inclusive travel industry, and luckily this episode is all about diving into the how of getting started.
Social justice power-houses, Justine Abigail Yu and Ariel Goldberg of Wanderful, are here to help define anti-oppression, anti-racism, and the work we are all accountable to as mindful travelers.
What started as a virtual series of Anti-Racism Town Halls at Wanderful earlier this year, led to the development of their Anti-Oppression Toolkit for Travel & Culture Creators led by Justine and Ariel. The ongoing project equips travel creators with resources to push for an equitable travel industry for people at all intersections of identity.
“Anti-racism is an act and not a state of being. It’s a constant action we must continue performing.” - Ariel Goldberg
We all know the incredible and transformative impact travel can have on us. But, have you ever really reflected on the impact you leave on travel?
The way you interact with locals? How your behavior could be disrespectful, or controversial, towards the local culture and community? How your privilege could lead to continued oppression?
From understanding the impacts of voluntourism and white saviorship, to being conscious of your presence, decisions, and actions in destination, there’s a lot to learn in creating an inclusive travel industry, and luckily this episode is all about diving into the how of getting started.
Social justice power-houses, Justine Abigail Yu and Ariel Goldberg of Wanderful, are here to help define anti-oppression, anti-racism, and the work we are all accountable to as mindful travelers.
What started as a virtual series of Anti-Racism Town Halls at Wanderful earlier this year, led to the development of their Anti-Oppression Toolkit for Travel & Culture Creators led by Justine and Ariel. The ongoing project equips travel creators with resources to push for an equitable travel industry for people at all intersections of identity.
Justine Abigail Yu is a communications and marketing strategist who has worked with non-profits and social enterprises operating in North America, Central America, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. Her expertise lies in growing enterprises from the ground up through strategic digital marketing, compelling storytelling, and genuine community engagement through an anti-oppression lens. She currently serves as Wanderful’s Communications Manager and is a Senior Advisor for RISE Travel Institute. She is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Living Hyphen, an emerging magazine that explores the experiences of those living in between cultures.
Ariel Goldberg is a queer, multiracial writer, activist, and traveler based in Brooklyn, New York. She serves on the Wanderful team as the Program & Creative Director for WITS Travel Creator & Brand Summit. She also serves as Deputy Digital Director for Lambda Legal, the largest LGBTQ and HIV civil rights legal organization in the world. She has worked, edited, and traveled across the globe, but most often dreams of selling everything she owns and booking a one-way ticket to Amsterdam.
In this episode, Justine and Ariel dive into:
- Common trends and problematic behaviors observed from travelers and creators that need to be addressed.
- The privilege of language, the importance of intersectionality of identity and race, and representation in travel content.
- Defining what it means to be an activist and a conscious creator in the travel space.
Access Wanderful’s Anti-Oppression Toolkit for Travel and Culture Creators by clicking here, and learn more about Wanderful at sheswanderful.com.
The 2021 Women In Travel Summit is officially virtual! Register now to attend from the comfort of your home.
Continue the conversation with us on the Conscious Bad Asses Facebook group and follow along at @curatedconsciously.
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