I Don't Travel to Prove Anything—And Neither Should You

Hello Beautiful Friends,

I've been wrestling with how to share something deeply personal with you—the real reason behind Kee22life and why I believe so fiercely that Black women must reclaim our rightful place in luxury travel spaces. This isn't just about vacation planning or exclusive accommodations. This is about liberation.

The Moment Everything Changed

A few months ago, I was watching a documentary about Claridge's hotel and how they cater to the world's wealthiest travelers. I watched as they meticulously crafted bespoke experiences for billionaires—understanding their need for privacy, safety, and experiences tailored to their sophisticated tastes. These ultra-wealthy individuals don't use mainstream travel arrangements because they have particular needs, busy schedules, and frankly, the knowledge that they deserve exceptional service.

As I watched, a realization hit me like lightning: Black women have the exact same needs.

We need safety while traveling—a concern that has existed since the transatlantic slave trade, continued through the Underground Railroad, and persists today in the era of the Green Book's digital descendants. We have sophisticated tastes in art, culture, and experiences—we're not just contributors to these fields, we're the creative leaders. We're running businesses, working demanding careers, leading communities, serving as politicians and change-makers. We don't have time to research and plan elaborate trips, yet we're systematically excluded from the high-end services that exist specifically to meet these needs.

Why? Simply put, prejudice and systemic racism still occupy and hold power in luxury spaces. Even the wealthiest Black people often don't receive the same level of care as their European counterparts in these establishments.

Our Complicated Relationship with Luxury

Let's get uncomfortable for a minute, shall we?

The real reason you're not booking that Morocco trip isn't your budget—it's the voice in your head that sounds suspiciously like every person who ever made you feel like you were "too much." Too ambitious. Too fancy. Too uppity. Too everything.

Here's what breaks my heart: I've watched Black women reject luxury before it has the chance to reject them. We convince ourselves—and each other—that we don't deserve to indulge, that luxury is somehow colonialism, capitalism, or "making the white man rich."

White people didn’t invent luxury.

Every culture has standards and practices of luxury dating back to ancient times, especially Black African cultures. We are the descendants of people who created intricate gold jewelry in ancient Ghana, who built architectural marvels in Ethiopia, who established trade routes that connected continents. Luxury isn't foreign to us—it's our birthright.

Yet today, only 15% of the safari industry is Black-owned. We've been systematically excluded from spaces we helped create, from experiences our ancestors pioneered, from the very definition of what luxury means.

What Luxury Really Means

When people ask me to define luxury, I realize it's a question I've been wrestling with my entire life. To me, luxury is a lifestyle and experiences created for the individual based on who they are, where they are in their lives, their needs and desires—meticulously and beautifully crafted like an art form.

And who are more qualified to appreciate art than Black people, one of the most creative and influential groups on the planet, especially considering our small population globally? Most importantly, luxury always provides convenience and ease—two things Black women are rarely offered.

The Prison of Perpetual Service

We are the backbone of our communities, carrying the "strong Black woman" title like both badge and burden. It's empowering, yes, but it's also a prison of struggle and servitude. Unlike any other group of women, we haven't had the luxury to rest. We've been treated as less than human since colonization, and this has affected us psychologically, making it difficult to allow others to care for us.

We get laws passed, bills paid, degrees earned, and dinner on the table while being treated as invisible, thankless, and less than human. We heal, care for, nurture, and teach everyone else. We build for everyone else. But when do we rest? When do we receive?

Today.

Why Dorothy Dandridge's Passport Tells Our Real Story

You know what your history teacher never mentioned? Dorothy Dandridge didn't just break Hollywood's color barrier—she shattered travel limitations too. While Jim Crow laws kept her out of hotels in her own country, she was being fêted in European palaces, dining with royalty, and living like the international star she was.

Here's the part that gets me: Even when she had every right to luxury treatment, she still faced harassment. Hotel staff in supposedly "progressive" cities would "mysteriously" lose her reservations. Customs agents would delay her for hours while white passengers breezed through. The message was clear: Success doesn't automatically buy you respect.

James Baldwin understood this too. He didn't flee to Paris just for artistic inspiration—he went for the basic human dignity of being able to walk into a café without calculating whether he'd be served. His letters describe the intoxicating freedom of being treated like a person, not a problem to be solved.

These weren't just vacations. They were acts of reclaiming dignity disguised as leisure.

The Sophisticated Art of Strategic Travel Planning

Now, let's talk about something nobody wants to address: safety planning that doesn't require you to live in fear.

Here's what luxury travel companies won't tell you—their "world-class service" rarely includes cultural competency about what Black women might encounter. They'll arrange your champagne service without researching whether the local police have a history of racial profiling. They'll book your spa day without mentioning that some destinations have cultural norms that make solo female travelers targets.

This is where real expertise matters.

What Strategic Safety Actually Looks Like

When I plan trips for my clients, I'm not just booking hotels—I'm conducting intelligence gathering that would make Olivia Pope proud. I research current political climates, cultural attitudes toward Black women, recent incidents involving tourists who look like us, and local customs that might conflict with how we naturally move through the world.

I establish relationships with local contacts before you even board your plane. Not just tour guides, though—people who understand nuance. Who know which neighborhoods welcome us with open arms and which ones require extra awareness. Who can intervene if situations get uncomfortable.

Think of it as having a fairy godmother in every destination—someone available 24/7 who speaks the language, knows the culture, and can handle everything from medical emergencies to social complications.

True freedom isn't just about having money to travel. It's about having the knowledge and support systems that let you enjoy that travel without constantly looking over your shoulder.

The Reality of Racism in Paradise

Racism exists everywhere, that we know. Even in places that market themselves as "inclusive paradises." The difference isn't whether you'll encounter prejudice—it's understanding how that prejudice manifests in different cultural contexts so you can navigate it skillfully.

In some places, it's subtle exclusion—being seated at the worst table despite your reservation, having requests ignored while others are accommodated immediately. In others, it's more direct confrontation. Some destinations have historical tensions that make certain areas uncomfortable for Black visitors, while others embrace us with genuine warmth.

The goal isn't to avoid every place where racism exists (we'd never leave home). The goal is to travel with awareness, preparation, and support systems that ensure you can handle whatever comes up without it ruining your experience.

The Princess Treatment: What It Really Feels Like

Now let me paint you a picture of what happens when you stop apologizing for wanting beautiful things.

Imagine stepping off a plane in Cape Town, where your private driver greets you by name—not just "ma'am"—your actual name pronounced correctly. I've briefed the entire team. The car isn't just clean, it's magazine-perfect, with fresh flowers and your favorite playlist already queued.

Your suite overlooking Table Mountain isn't just booked—it's prepared. The champagne is your preferred brand, chilled to the exact temperature you like. The bathroom is stocked with products that understand your hair, your skin, your specific needs. Fresh flowers fill every room, not the generic roses hotels usually order—the specific blooms you mentioned loving in passing conversation months ago.

And here's something special: I can arrange for some of the best Black hair stylists to meet you—whether at the hotel for touch-ups or before a special event you have planned. Your look stays flawless throughout your entire journey.

The restaurant reservations aren't just made—they're confirmed with dietary preferences, seating preferences, and cultural considerations already communicated. The chef knows you're coming and has designed something special that honors both your tastes and local traditions.

What really transforms the experience: You're not just another tourist with money. You're treated like the sophisticated, worldly woman you are. Conversations flow naturally with guides selected for their ability to engage with intelligent travelers. Cultural experiences are authentic, not performative. You're learning, growing, being challenged intellectually while being pampered physically.

At the end of each day, as you sink into Egyptian cotton sheets with impossibly high thread counts, you realize something profound: This isn't indulgence. This is what travel should feel like when you're not spending half your energy managing other people's comfort with your success.

The Transformation That Happens When You Stop Settling

Here's what nobody tells you about luxury travel: It changes how you see yourself permanently.

When you've been treated like royalty in Morocco, you stop accepting substandard service at home. When you've had authentic conversations with locals in Bali who are genuinely interested in your perspective, you stop shrinking to make others comfortable. When you've watched sunsets from private terraces with perfect wine pairings, you understand that abundance isn't something you need to apologize for.

I recognize the climate we're in and how it may be difficult for some to indulge in these luxuries—that isn't the case for everyone, and it's time for Black women to stand down and allow rest. We have fought enough and look where we are. Some things are better than others, yet a lot of work still needs to be done beyond us. We deserve to rest, especially if the world is burning. Our world has been burning for a while, and we've danced through it in style.

I've witnessed transformations firsthand. Women who couldn't make decisions without consulting everyone now book weekend getaways on impulse. Women who used to shop exclusively at discount stores now understand that sometimes paying more gets you exactly what you deserve—and remember, luxury isn't just opulence and expensive lifestyle. It's quality, meaningful, and curated experiences. Women who apologized for taking up space now walk into rooms like they own them.

Once you experience what it feels like to be treated as the valuable, sophisticated, deserving woman you are, you can't unknow that feeling. You can't pretend you're satisfied with less.

My Personal Journey: From Guilt to Peace

Let me share something vulnerable: My first luxury trip was to Bali, and I spent the entire flight wondering if I should have sent the money to my mother instead while her health was in decline at the time. The guilt was eating me alive before I even landed.

Something magical happened in that ocean view villa. For the first time in my adult life, nobody needed anything from me. I wasn't managing anyone else's expectations, solving anyone else's problems, or making myself smaller so others could shine brighter. I was just... myself. Fully, unapologetically myself.

I remember sitting on the private beach attached to the villas, watching the waves and the sunset paint the sky in impossible colors, and thinking: "This is what peace feels like."

That trip didn't just relax me—it transformed my understanding of what I deserved. Not what I could earn, achieve, or prove my way into—what I deserved simply by virtue of being a woman who had worked hard and decided to live the dream. I also had a partner at the time who I left at home; he couldn't get himself together in time to join, and I wasn't going0 to wait for anyone.

Luxury in this day and age is about being, not doing. Having that moment of luxury to just be—not be activist, revolutionary, strong, CEO, or anything else. We are, period. Being is enough. There is beauty and luxury in being. Getting to be. We get to be.

That decision to go alone, to choose my peace over accommodating someone else's chaos, taught me everything I needed to know about how I wanted to move through the world.

The Beautiful Ordinary of Living Well

When Black women choose luxury travel, we're simply living the full, rich lives we deserve. We're proving that our presence enhances rather than diminishes beautiful experiences. We're showing the world—and ourselves—that we belong everywhere we have the means to go.

Every time you book that overwater bungalow, you're honoring your own worth and sophisticated taste. Every time you demand the service standards you've paid for, you're creating space for other women who look like us to feel welcomed in these spaces.

This is about being a woman who craves rest, beauty, and extraordinary experiences like any other woman. It's deeply human.

An Invitation to Your Most Beautiful Life

Let me invite you into something magical: the life you actually want to live. My personal definition and relationship with luxury centers on experiences that feed the soul, moments that remind you who you are beneath all the roles you play.

Step One: Redefine Your Luxury

Stop treating luxury travel like an irresponsible splurge and start treating it like the investment in your mental health, cultural education, and personal growth that it actually is. You wouldn't feel guilty about investing in your career or your home—your experiences deserve the same respect.

Remember, luxury doesn't always mean Four Seasons—it's a day alone in nature, an enriching activity with the kids, time away from the kids, or simply an experience that feeds your soul without apology.

Step Two: Find Your Travel Truth

Ask yourself: What would you book if nobody else's opinion mattered? What destinations call to your soul, not your social media feed? What experiences would feed the parts of yourself that only you know about?

Step Three: Invest in Real Expertise

Partner with travel professionals who understand that your safety, comfort, and cultural experience matters more than getting the cheapest deal. Look for people who've done the research, established the relationships, and understand the nuances of traveling as a Black woman in different cultural contexts.

Step Four: Travel With Intention

Choose destinations and experiences that align with your values and interests, not what looks good on social media. Seek authentic cultural exchange, not tourist performance. Prioritize rest and restoration, not Instagram exhaustion.

Your Beautiful Future Starts Now

The woman you're becoming—confident, unapologetic, globally minded—she's ready for experiences that match her evolution. She's ready for trips that restore rather than exhaust her. She's ready for adventures that expand her perspective and celebrations that honor her achievements.

She's also ready to stop waiting for permission to live fully.

The world is vast, beautiful, and waiting for your sophisticated presence. Five-star resorts need your discerning taste. Exclusive experiences need your intelligence and curiosity. Cultural destinations need your respectful engagement and meaningful exchange.

You don't need to earn the right to luxury travel by being perfect, reaching certain milestones, or proving your worthiness to people who wouldn't celebrate your success anyway. You need to book the trip, pack your most fabulous outfits, and prepare to be treated like the magnificent woman you already are.

Ready to Plan Your Next Beautiful Experience?

I specialize in creating bespoke travel experiences that honor your sophistication while ensuring your safety, comfort, and cultural connection. From strategic destination research to 24/7 support, I handle every detail so you can focus on what matters: experiencing the world.

Your journey to unapologetic luxury awaits. Let's craft itineraries worthy of your dreams and your reality.

For travel experiences that celebrate your brilliance and protect your peace:
 [email protected] or Click Here 

You're not just taking a vacation—you're claiming your place in the world.

With love and luxury,
Kee Sharrieff
 Your guide to traveling like the sophisticated woman you are