AfroBuenaventura

30/10/2025

The secret to how TAP IN to Salvador with no planning required.

Bite-sized experiences for solo travelers or friends happening Nov. 6-9, 2025 in Salvador.

www.afrobuenaventura.com/tapin

24/08/2025

Giving your kids the gift of travel isn't cheap.

But it's one of the most valuable possessions they'll keep.

They'll learn how to engage with folks different from them.

They'll develop an expansive world view.

They won't be intimidated by languages and cultures they don't understand.

Travel will show them how their own identity and culture adds to the beauty of the world.

29/07/2025

🎨 What makes a piece of art worth collecting? Sometimes, it’s not about the artist’s name or where it’s displayed—but the story it tells and the way it finds you.

In this interview, I sit down with Harold Jones, a Black American collector based in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. He shares how his deeply personal collection came together through unexpected moments, intuitive connections, and a respect for cultural authenticity.

▶️ Watch the full interview and discover a different way to see the city—and its art.

Harold Jones is a Black American expat from California, that call Salvador da Bahia, Brazil home. He's an avid collector of Black art, and in this interview,...

03/07/2025

This year AfroPunk Brasil's stage will featuring artists from Nigeria, UK, and of course Brazil!

When you attend, you'll be put on to music that is quintessentially Brazilian, and VERY Black.

Check out an exclusive playlist featuring the artists that will hit the stage this year!

https://afrobuenaventura-transformative-travels.kit.com/afropunkplaylist

27/06/2025

Tems, the sensational Nigerian artist known for her soulful rhythms and empowering lyrics, will headline AfroPunk Brasil!

The two nights of musical ecstasy that we'll spend in VIP at AfroPunk are the centerpiece to The Black Rome Experience, an immersive cultural itinerary that I will host this November 5-11.

​C​lick here to join me for an info session this Sunday, June 29, when I'll share all the details to help you decide if this experience is right for you.

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PqMyVP8ERcaC_-YB1Vgw5w #/

22/02/2025

I cry every year that I attend Noite da Beleza Negra hosted by here in Salvador.

✨This beautiful pageant is an event that I never miss, and one that always moves me deeply.

✨Special thanks to and Dr. Mwangaza Bandele for sharing how they felt after witnessing this incredibly important cultural event.

If you're ever in Salvador before Carnaval, be sure not to miss it!

04/02/2025

This trip is inspired by Black women.

Over the past 6 days these women have honored themselves, connected with Iemanjá (Yemaya/Yemoja), and witnessed the wonder of African culture in Brazil.

They had magical experiences that will forever live in their hearts.

✨Like having a fabric crown meticulously sewn onto their head by one of Salvador's most revered women.

✨Like getting a reading from the spiritual mother of a Candomble house closed to tourists.

✨Like learning the dances of the orishas in the sanctuary of a Candomble house that was constructed on land that enslaved people sought for refuge.

✨Like learning how to play a gourd instrument under the shade of palm trees.

This isn't just tourism.

It's a collection of curated authentic experiences that honors local communities and heritage, and offers immense value to each person that participates in this life-changing trip inspired by Black women.

Ancestral Spirits is for you, too.

25/11/2024

Baianas do Acarajé are iconic symbols of Brazilian culture. They are celebrated each November 25.

These women practitioners of the Candomblé faith were the some of the first entrepreneurs in Brazil; heading out each day to sell culinary delicacies, creating an income that would enable them to take care of their families, invest in their communities, and in some cases, buy the freedom of their enslaved brethren.

Baianas serve a variety of functions in official roles in their communities. Some sell acarajé (black-eyed pea fritters) and cocada (coconut sweets), some work in tourism and events (receptivo), others are lay people in the Candomblé spiritual houses.

Throughout their history, Baianas have been highly respected, and often among the wealthiest and most business-minded women in their community.

They are the reason why Baiano culture has ascended to be incredibly emblematic of Brazil and Afro-Brazilianity.

In accordance with a federal law instituted in 2001, we recognize their contribution to Brazil and the world, we respect their profession, and hold up as an example their dedication to preserving and uplifting the Afro-Brazilian culture!

✨Viva as Baianas!

20/11/2024

Each November 20 we celebrate the Day of Black Consciousness (Dia da Consciencia Negra) in Brazil.

Although the date has been recognized since 2001, only this year has it been approved by the Senate as an official holiday; providing a day off for some.

The date commemorates the death of Zumbi, a man who was one of the most renowned leaders of a refuge community ('quilombo' in Portuguese) called Palmares where people escaping slavery could find liberty amongst each other.

For years, the residents fought off the Portuguese, but one attack changed everything. Even though he initially escaped, Zumbi would be captured and murdered on November 20, 1695, converting him into an icon symbolizing the struggle for freedom of Afro-Brazilians.

And so here we are over 300 years later still speaking his name....Viva Zumbi!

Some Brazilians rejoice at the idea of this national holiday; others question its necessity.

Here's why Brazilian National Black Consciousness Day is necessary:
✨The holiday recognizes the historical impact of Black people, whose contributions to Brazil's culture, economy, and identity have been overlooked or erased.
✨The day highlights social inequalities and racism that Black Brazilians face; reminding the government and society of the importance of efforts to combat racial discrimination, promote equal opportunities, and address the socio-economic disparities between Black and white populations in Brazil.
✨It is an opportunity to celebrate Afro-Brazilian culture, traditions, and the resilience of Black communities.
✨It provides a moment for all to learn about the history of slavery in Brazil, the legacy of colonialism, and the ongoing impact of racism.
✨ It serves as a call to action for Black empowerment and the recognition of the importance of preserving and promoting Black voices.

✨Let's continue to celebrate Black Brazilian identity and culture today, and everyday; remembering that the beauty of this identity is the product of lived experiences of the descendants of Africans in Brazil. We must seek to understand the people, honor their belonging in this country, and lend our power to their cause for equality, access, and full liberation.

18/11/2024

Find you some joy in Salvador.

02/11/2024

Happy 50th anniversary to , the first Afro-Bloco in Brazil!

Their innovative spirit and resilience helped Black Brazilians usher themselves into a new era of Black love, Black beauty, and Black pride.

They are a beacon of light in a country that often veils anti-Blackness, and uses it's power to criminalize brown people.

To this day Ile Aiye stands firm in its mission to create safe spaces for Black people to commune, celebrate, and experience joy.

If you ever have a chance to visit Salvador, check them out each January when they host the annual Noite da Beleza Negra, a first-of-it's-kind beauty contest that exalts the African aesthetic, or catch them on the parade route during Carnaval as they strut and shine in their regalia to the incessant and captivating drum core that produces their hallmark sound.

I love living in Salvador because of the consciousness that Ile Aiye promotes, and the natural Black beauty that it celebrates unapologetically.

Photo: Me dressed in the bloco's Carnaval regalia outside of their headquarters in the Liberdade (means Freedom) neighborhood waiting to parade with them on their debut night of Carnaval 2023.