Lamar Shambley grew up in Bed-Stuy, New York, and dreamed of one day traveling to a Spanish-speaking country to use the Spanish he was learning in his high school classes. Shambley had to turn down a study abroad opportunity in high school because the price was out of his reach. But thanks to scholarships in college, he was able to take a service trip to the Dominican Republic.
He returned to the U.S. with a renewed sense of purpose and went on to found Teens of Color Abroad with the goal of providing virtual language learning classes and cultural exchange programs for teens of color in the U.S.
“There are numerous benefits for young Black children to travel internationally. It allows Black students to expand their world views, connect with people from different cultures, and learn more about themselves,” Shambley explains. “Traveling pushes students out of their comfort zone, increasing their adaptability skills, resilience, independence, curiosity, and confidence. At TOCA, we believe these skills are foundational for students to thrive in college.”
Teens of Color Abroad provides virtual workshops for students to practice their second language skills in Arabic, Spanish, and French, and the courses are taught by refugee conversation partners. The organization also offers study-abroad programs, and last year TOCA launched its first study-abroad program in Sevilla, Spain.
“Central to our work is amplifying language learning opportunities for our students,” the founder says. “There’s data that shows when Black students study abroad, it increases their chances of graduating college on time by nearly 30 percent. With TOCA, we want to provide these experiences to high school students so that they enter college with the powerful skills needed to thrive.”
Another group helping teens travel abroad is iFly Youth, a D.C.-based summer program founded on helping middle school-aged Black girls develop leadership skills through international travel and community building. Every summer, the organization hosts a three-week leadership summit followed by a week of travel, and past trips have included Colombia and Costa Rica.
“Exposure is key to expanding horizons, and by providing young Black girls with international travel opportunities, we empower them to see the world and unlock a world of possibilities,” says founder and director Cidney Farley. “I personally experienced the transformative power of travel in college when I studied abroad in Costa Rica. During that trip, it was the first time that I considered the possibility of living somewhere other than the U.S. By offering our girls the chance to travel at such a young age, we set them on a path to becoming globally competent citizens and remove the limitations that society has created.”
Farley says that she’s noticed that after students complete the summer program, they’re more open-minded and accepting of people from different backgrounds. The program is funded through grants, corporate contributions, and individual donations and prioritizes students who normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to travel internationally.
“Financial constraints often limit access to travel for young kids of color, especially when it comes to international travel,” Farley says. “Many of the national organizations and companies that provide study-abroad opportunities for youth tend to have price points outside of the reach of the students we serve. Every form of support we receive goes a long way in empowering young girls through travel and education.”
And finally, Young People Travel Global Edge is an organization that serves inner-city youth in Detroit. The organization hosts six-week virtual workshops on topics like financial responsibility, leadership, and international cultures. It also hosts group trips to countries like Kenya, Belize, and Dubai.
“Young People Travel Global Edge prides itself on giving students a global edge in life,” founder Sanya Weston says. “By providing opportunities for cultural immersion, fostering personal growth, promoting a global perspective, and developing leadership skills, the organization helps kids of color shape their futures and make a lasting impact.”
The program is open to students ages 8-18, and Weston says that students enrolled in the program often go on to achieve great academic success in college and beyond.
“One of our remarkable achievements is that one of our youth ambassadors was awarded the prestigious Oprah Winfrey scholarship to Morehouse College. This student is one of four students that started in the program as a high school freshman four years ago when we started the program,” Weston says. “It’s a significant accomplishment that reflects the transformative opportunities our organization strives to provide by giving our students a global edge in life. We encourage all of our students to write their college essays on their experience in the program and we now have honors students attending Delaware State University, Spelman, Morehouse, and FAMU.”
For the founders of these organizations, it’s a full-circle moment as they give back to their communities and give students the opportunity to travel internationally, which helps young students develop their character and expand their worldview.
“Besides the academic benefits of study abroad programs, there are numerous personal benefits, such as self-reliance, increased independence and self-esteem, and the desire to continue to travel,” Shambley says. “Once the travel bug bites students, the world is their oyster.”
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