Where travel is a state of mind.
 

OUR STORY

Past international and domestic travel experiences have inspired the team to create a program that provides dynamic, purposeful, and experience-based travel opportunities geared towards youth an adults. Members of the team have benefited exponentially from studying, traveling, and living abroad. Such opportunities have developed independence, personal and emotional growth, and connection to the larger world. The team's mission is to empower, broaden perspectives, and encourage global citizenship among participants young and old.

 

OUR PURPOSE

To provide experiential travel opportunities to youth, young adult scholars, and professionals of all ages. 

Igniting Mindful Afro-Adventures Nationally and Internationally in order to connect participants and the world with a larger sense of self and a broader sense of home.

 

OUR MISSION

To provide opportunities which increase the number of critical, open-minded, adventurous, emotionally intelligent, and empowered travelers of all ages, who embrace diverse Africana* and Indigenous cultures, expand mentally, and engage in experiences which positively impact their global communities by exposing and enrolling participants and the world in the lives, histories, contributions, and struggles of Africana and Indigenous people.

 

*Africana is a term used to describe any group/culture which intersects with heritage of the African Diaspora ie. African, African American, Afro-Latino, Afro-Asian, Afro-European, Caribbean, etc.)

 

OUR GOALS

  • Empower under-traveled youth and adults by immersing them in enriching hands-on cultural learning experiences and exposing them to new people and opportunities.

 

  • Educate all participants about themselves and other people of Africana and Indigenous descent by immersing them in action and service-learning and reflection.

 

  • Expand perspectives of our impact on the world through inter-generational service-learning and cultural exchange.

 

  • Engage parents, guardians, and other adults in the experiential learning process of the youth by creating mindful opportunities for inter-generational participation, sharing, support, learning, and mentorship.

 

MEET THE DREAM TEAM

 
 
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Jamilah I. Shabazz

Executive Director, Founder

As a child, Jamilah was exposed to local and domestic travel with family. However, luxury vacations and tourism were the only types of travel she was exposed to. In her mind, travel was limited to sightseeing in crowded tourist populated destinations, cruises, trips to world renown theme parks, and the fantasy of visiting one of the few wonders of the world. She quickly learned in her early adulthood that travel was so much more than what she thought. After gaining a broader consciousness of the abundance life had to offer, she realized that living her best life in every moment was the only way to achieve true happiness and fulfillment of her life's purpose. As a college student, her first international adventure to South Africa in 2007 was the catalyst to the profound discovery of what it felt like to feel free and connected to the entire world. As she evolves, so do her travels and the ways in which she's able to relate to life. Jamilah attributes most of the wisdom she holds to her worldly experiences and spirit-affirming sojourns. She believes that most of life's magic comes alive right outside of the comfort zone. The reason IMANI was created was to get her message out to more people of African descent, young and old. She sees travel as a state of mind. She also understands that lack of exposure is by far what prevents many people of from finding that joy that comes from releasing the fear of getting out of their comfort zone and exploring new adventures. In addition to getting out of her comfort zone, she doesn't believe that she must sacrifice her interest in and love of traveling among like minded people who look like her just for the sake of not being alone. Afro-Adventures were created to allow Black Travelers the privilege of traveling in a community of culturally similar, like-minded, and kindred spirits, which still maintains many levels of intersection and diversity. IMANI works passionately to create the ability for more people to be empowered to seek true connection to the world, beginning with themselves.

 

Contact

 

Playing phone tag isn't our idea of an Afro-Adventure. Getting in contact with IMANI is easy as 1, 2, 3. Just send us an email and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

 

✉ dream@imanix.org

✆ 1(323)844-3980

 

Staff:

Jamilah Shabazz
Programs