17. TrooRa Magazine The Black History Issue Special ’23

FROM FEELING OVERWHELMED TO BEING TRAVEL OBSESSED Then, the global pandemic happened and made traveling impossible. The whole world was confined to their homes. Ashley became overwhelmed again. “I remembered my time being overwhelmed as a former full- time journalist and producer,” Ashley said. Working around the clock at many sites and locations, she was overwhelmed with many things to do. Travel somehow gave her balance, peace, and solace, connecting with other travelers also journeying to many countries and cities. Ashley decided to shift the adversity she felt into a golden opportunity for travelers. She knew she needed to find a way to reconnect with people who were isolated at home. Her strong spirituality and connection to God allowed her to turn her noble intention into meaningful action. She decided to look at the global pandemic as an opportunity to capitalize on travel with technology. Embracing technology with storytelling was the secret sauce, considering she was an expert in storytelling in content creation, and her experience as a journalist and producer in various media in the past helped her make a mark in the hearts of many. Her mission to reconnect with humanity during the difficult economic times Covid-19 had created turned her intention into action. For the longest time, she dreamed of being more and doing more for people of color. She wanted to build a community to share their voices and stories. So, while confined at home, she finally fulfilled her lifelong dream, her app to connect Black travelers.

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