Something about seeing us represented in spaces like this, halfway across the world, hits different 🤎 If it’s starting to get chilly where you are, maybe that’s your sign to pack that carry-on and come catch some island warmth at @HŌTEL SAGÈS | Boutique Hotel 🇮🇩✨ Because Black excellence isn’t just in the boardroom it’s in Bali too🌴 Thriving in spaces of leisure, creativity, ownership, and travel ✈️ #BlackOwnedHotels #BlackTravel #BaliVibes #TravelCreator #huntsvilleinfluencer

And if you feel otherwise jump in my comments because I’ve stayed in places dripped in luxury that left me restless and in quiet corners of the world where I slept like peace was part of the décor. I realized real comfort isn’t found in ratings. It’s found in recognition. When a space recognizes what you need before you do that’s when it becomes unforgettable. Here’s how to know when a place truly gets it or how to build it if you’re the one creating it: 1️⃣ The Arrival Test Before you ever touch the key or step inside, pay attention to what meets you first. Is it someone who sees you before you see them? Is it lighting that softens, a cool towel in your hand or music that shifts the air? If you feel like the world slowed down the moment you walked in, that’s not design, that’s presence. 2️⃣ The Pause Test After you unpack, sit still for 60 sec. Do you find yourself reaching for your phone or just breathing? Spaces built with care quiet you without asking. If your body settles, your thoughts slow and you feel at ease enough to notice the art on the wall, the sound of the wind, the softness of the chair. That’s alignment. It means the environment is doing what good hospitality should: balancing your energy not taking from it. 3️⃣ The Departure Test Right before you leave, ask yourself what’s staying with you. If what you remember most isn’t a photo but a feeling, that’s imprint. Maybe it’s how the morning light hit the curtains or the kindness of the person who called you by name. When a space lingers in your memory like that, it’s passed the highest test. It’s no longer a stay, it’s a story. ✨ For property owners: use this as your blueprint. You’re not just creating a stay. You’re curating the feeling that keeps people coming back and will do more than just fill a traveler’s itinerary! And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s where I come in. I help hotels, villas and rentals bridge the gap between what guests see and what they feel through storytelling, strategy and visuals that turn moments into memories. 💾 Save this and when you find “the one” what’s the first thing that tells you you’ve arrived? #LuxuryRedefined #TravelCreators #hotelmarketing

And for $4.50 I could stay here forever! Took the @NYC Ferry and was able to even see the Statue of Liberty from afar! 🗽 We rode the ferry one way and got off to walk to Time Square 🤗 📍Pier 11 (Wall Street): East River Line Inspo 📸: @Yu “Fish” Cui TikTok made us do it! Thanks for inviting me @tate💓 | @TEYLOR JOELLE 🥰

🚀 The guidance we’re searching for isn’t out there… it’s internal! This weekend at @The CCNYC + CultureCon NYC, I was reminded that taking up space isn’t just about being seen. It’s about being aligned with who you are and what you’re building. I met so many Black creators, entrepreneurs, and storytellers all navigating the same thing: growth. We’re still learning. Still figuring it out. But we’re showing up, using what we have, and creating the spaces we once wished existed. ✨ From the secrets of short-form video panels with @nnekaj and @bedstuybrat (my favorite panel btw! It was interactive, engaging and left us with something tangible) to storytelling to brand activations that celebrated Black creativity, this space reminded me that we don’t just make content, we create culture. 🎥 As a travel and lifestyle creator, I see it everywhere in the stories we tell, the people we meet, and the destinations we share. Whether it’s a villa stay or a creator connection, we’re shaping the way people see the world. But even as an introverted creative, I had to pause, breathe, and refill my bucket. Because taking space also means honoring your own pace and that’s okay! To Imani Ellis, who turned an idea from her apartment into a movement that helps us all rise, THANK YOU! 🤎 That’s what I took away from CultureCon: 💫 Guidance is internal. 💫 The space is ours to shape. 💫 And what’s meant for you will always rise to meet you. We’re not waiting for permission anymore. We’re building our own tables, curating our own spaces, and taking our stories to the moon 🌕 ✨ What’s one space you’re ready to take up this season whether in your business, your creativity, or your travels? 👇🏽 ✨ Save this post to revisit before the next #CultureCon, and share it with someone who’s learning to take up space too! 💛 See someone you know - tag them! @tate💓 @TEYLOR JOELLE @pinterest @Olivia Hancock | Beauty Editor @Crystal Renee @Teremana Tequila @Dosso Beauty @Kiweaves @YouTube @nneka julia @Tika sumpter @LETOYALUCKETT @Ciara @JOSEPH McRAE @Jennifer Hudson @Taraji P. Henson @Morris Chestnut @smartwater @CricketWireless @Kordell Beckham @Ree💓 @BuildwithBrisco