At 19 years old, Andrew Gordon, Founder & President of Diversity Abroad would take his first trip abroad on a two week trip through Europe. This experience would ultimately change his life and the lives of other young students of color venturing abroad. 

What caused you to travel abroad for the first time?
My older brother was studying abroad in Spain and I went to go visit him. 

What impact did this experience have on you?
This trip opened my eyes to the world. We had a chance to travel around, meet people not only from the countries themselves, but also other travelers. After spending time in Spain I told myself I wouldn't never be in the position where I didn't speak Spanish. This trip was the catalyst in me deciding to study abroad, which ultimately led me to start Diversity Abroad, a platform which connects talented diverse and underrepresented students and graduates to international education and career opportunities that will prepare them for leadership in an interconnected world.

How did this trip affect your sense of self or the world? 
Yes, it helped me to look beyond where I was from - California - and appreciate that there is an entire world to explore and the more I challenged myself to explore and push the limits of my comfort zone the more I grew as a person.

Why Did you Join LFW?
I seized on an opportunity to gain insight and experience, while taking a pilgrimage to Africa. But, I began to overlook what could be obtained, for what I could potentially give. Throughout the process, bonds began to form, and I acknowledged that I was surrounding myself among future changemakers that mirror my image. This was an opportunity to join an expansive community of innovators with a collective mindset to change the world; one individual in a community at a time.

What was the biggest lesson you learned in the program?
This journey with LFW has taught me to make peace where you are, and with who you are. There are so many places that African-Americans and other marginalized groups feel out of place. Even now our political landscape is built on divisive divisions and makes anyone who doesn’t share a European phenotype feel out of place. Making peace where you are can be in your country, state, city but mostly internally.

How did your LFW experience, impact your life today?
LFW has impacted my life in various ways that I wouldn’t have even fathomed. From my experience, I expected to meet some interesting individuals, gain international exposure and have some inspirational and insightful chats, but it  was more than I imaged.  My experience was challenging at times, but it humbled and amazed me to see how much I can impact others. The leadership skills and bonds formed from the journey has encouraged me to break barriers and challenge myself to seek greatness, while creating an enduring legacy for my family. 
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Bio: 
Maurice Rodgers is a senior at  University of Louisville  working towards becoming a Professor in African American History and Political Science. He is expected to graduate this Spring with a BA in Political Science and Pan- African Studies.  At his alma mater Olive-Harvey College, Maurice served as the  Student Government Association Vice President, a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and a part of the One Million Degrees program.
After graduation, Maurice hopes to continue his scholarship, and plans to return to Africa for humanitarian and research efforts. 

​Why Did you Join LFW?
I joined LFW with the encouragement from a former H.S teacher/mentor saw the opportunity as a way to continue my growth in Leadership as a OneGoal Fellow. After learning more about the program, I was intrigued with the overall mission of LFW and became drawn to see how LFW could assist in not only my growth in leadership, but my personal growth as well.

What was the Biggest Lesson you Learned?
There were so many lessons learned throughout my short time involved in LFW but the biggest lesson I took, was to never settle. Throughout my time interacting with the group, during the trip and conversations we had, it was very encouraging and humbling to develop that family and support system that not only believes in you but also pushes you to go after any and everything you want in life. It was like an eternal flame was lit within me.

How Did Your Experience Impact What You Do Today?
The impact I got from LFW is unmeasured, I was able to return home with a different mindset, where I viewed life in a different way, I was so closed minded and thought only way to better my situation or better those around me was in the same survival mindset. My view, focused and confidence flourished in way where I could be hungry for success by being open and receiving to multiple opportunities and accepting constructive criticism and increased my determination to rewrite the narrative that's not only associated with me being African-American, but me being a an African-American young man from Chicago.

Roderick Nash (IG:SlimRico_ @RastaGfx) is a native of Chicago, IL. currently working for P.L.S Financial Institute. Roderick will be pursuing his degree in Criminal Justice in the Fall at Malcolm X College, with plans to go to Law School. He's also a Graphic Design artist at Rasta GFX, designing cover art. He's also learning coding and hopes to one day open a youth center to help and mentor other kids on Chicago's Westside

​At 25 Years Old, Ameer Collier, took his first trip to Italy. Ameer describes how his experience changed his perspective and increased his confidence. 

Do you feel this trip effected your sense of self or the world? If so, in what way?
I realized there's so much more to see and experience. It was just the beginning for me. Americans are so confined to their country and way of living, traveling and indulging in another culture almost seems like an afterthought especially in our community. Its a challenge stepping outside that comfort zone but its well worth it.

What do you think you accomplished or pursued that you otherwise would not have?
A sense of confidence. Pretty simple, but knowing small things like traveling abroad are very possible gives you a sense of pride and joy. Folks talk about all the things they want to see and do, however, to actually experience it is another story. Like Nike, just do it!

How do you feel your experience was different as person of color?
I stuck out like a sore thumb. I figured the perception of our people in other cultures stems from media. So when physically being seen by foreigners when you're not an athlete, a celebrity, or a simple stereotype, the look folks give you are like "Hey, what're you doing here?" 

Ameer Collier was raised in Silver Spring, MD by way of Stone Mountain, Georgia. He has a BA in Media Studies & Production from Temple University in Philadelphia. 
Ameer is the founder of The D.O.C.S. Formula. D.O.C.S is a network of creative consultants producing audio and video content promoting community stories and unity.
Follow on Twitter and IG:  @thedocsformula

When Ben Stewart was 20yrs old, he travelled to Tokyo, Japan for 6 months as a McNair Scholar and exchange student at Hosei University. For Ben, this trip would help foster a deep love for music, art and culture.
 
What impact do you feel this trip had on you?
This trip broadened my understanding of how culturally vast the world is but also how interconnected we all are. How so much of my own culture has traveled and influenced people around the world. The biggest impact that I can emphatically say is this, being abroad in a country so homogenous really help me appreciate the things I had at home, but it also helped me realize how much in excess I had. I was truly blessed.
 
Do you feel this trip affected your sense of self or the world? 
Absolutely! I always tell people about my first time abroad and the one thing that never fails to get the 'WOW' response is this. I've never felt more welcomed or accepted and less judged and stereotyped then when I lived abroad in Japan. It wasn't the lack of being the exotic other but the respect of the people that truly wanted to know about me and my culture. This elevated my perception of how influential my African/African-American culture truly was. And to make these lifelong connections with people in a culture I've always respected truly bridged the idea of self and the world!

"Had I not gone abroad I'm not sure I would be the person I am today."

Ben Stewart is an Advisory Board Member for Leaders of the Free World.  Ben graduated from Truman State University in 2005. Upon finishing his degree Benjamin moved to New York City where he went on to obtain a MBA in International Business Management from Keller Graduate School of Business and is currently finishing his second masters in Ethnomusicology at Hunter College of the City University of New York. He currently works for the Kingsborough Community College as the Sr. Academic Advisor for second year students in STEM majors. ​​​
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You can follow Ben on Twitter at  @4matastudio and on Instagram at  @benzilla06

When Filimon Ghebretinsae was 25 yrs old he studied abroad in Rwanda. This is experience led him to become a Peace Corps Volunteer and pursue a career in international development. 

What impact do you feel this trip had on you?
My first trip to Rwanda had a great impact on who I wanted to become. I studied abroad in Rwanda my last quarter in my undergrad and it was the best decision I have ever made. This study of abroad trip showed me that the world is much bigger than just the United States. This trip also proved to me that I can live and work outside my small community in Seattle. Upon my return from this trip I applied to the U.S. Peace Corps and served as a volunteer in Kenyan/Rwanda for two years. I am now a dual master’s student studying international development and global health policies looking to start a career internationally. My study of abroad trip and my Peace Corps experience helped me find my passion in life, which is to work on international development with a focus on health. 

Do you feel this trip affected your sense of self or the world?
Most definitely! I was unsure of what I wanted to doing after graduating from my undergraduate. This trip showed me that I can be useful in places I never imagined to live. During my international experience as a public health volunteer I have seen people suffer from preventable illnesses, lack of resources and lack of knowledge and information. I want to be part of the change that provides these basic needs to communities abroad. 

 "This study of abroad trip showed me that the world is much bigger than just the United States."

What do you think you accomplished or pursued that you otherwise would not have?
During my experience abroad, I have made lifetime friends and learned very much from the people I served. My communities in Kenya and Rwanda taught me that you can be very happy and have so little. I have seen and experienced poverty at first hand and can never forget how gracefully people live under a dollar a day. Additionally, I have initiated health clubs in locals schools, taught computer classes to out of school youth, conducted educational community wide Malaria and HIV/AIDS events and distributed water filters and cook stoves to Rwanda's most poor. 

Filimon Ghebretinsae was born in Eritrea but grew up in Seattle WA. He received his BA from Western Washington University in Communication. After graduation, Filimon served as a Public Health Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya and Rwanda. He is now studying Sustainable International Development and Global Health Policy and Management at Brandeis University Heller School. Currently interning with World Vision International for the summer. ​

When ​Yannick Florest was 32 he traveled for the first time to Thailand/Beijing with Passports Tatted, a travel group for Black men. This trip gave Yannick a first look at how he and others who looked like him could be viewed differently outside of the U.S.  As he states "There are places in this world where you are a human first and your skin color is irrelevant."

How did you learn about this trip?
I learned of the group through a friend and figured that it would be the perfect way to start off my international traveling adventures. As well, the last of the trip was my birthday, December 4th, so I felt like this was divine in my going.

What Impact do you feel this trip had on you?
The trip gave me a larger sense of being in this world. It was eye-opening to see how much differently people lived in other geographic locations but it was still the same at its core. Having walked the streets of Thailand and staying primarily in what I would consider the comparison to the inner cities of America, I couldn't help but observe the large disparity between classes and how that affected everyday living. 

I could easily see the stark difference between those who had and those who had not because many of the people who were impoverished did not look much different from me.

Another thing I noticed was how invested other countries are in American political affairs and how many of us Americans are not reciprocating in those efforts. Many of the locals in Thailand asked questions about how we felt about the newly-elected Donald Trump as President yet I had no clue about the policies regarding their King's transition. It was a great contrast and learning about what other countries are facing was something I decided to become more active and urgent about learning.

Do you feel this trip effected your sense of self or the world? If so, in what way?
Going to Thailand vastly improved my sense of self.  I was forced to move and exist in a different way than I would in America. To be quite honest, I forgot that I was Black until the very last day of my trip when I experienced the same prejudice that I would normally experience here. I was not made to feel like an "other" while I was there and that reinforced what I heard over the years about travelling as an African-American:

"There is a lot of love for us outside the States."

Yannick Florest is a hip-hop artist and educator working with youth in a variety of capacities for over eight years in both public schools and the nonprofit sectors, and with under-served communities all over New York City.
After graduating from SUNY New Paltz in 2006 with a B.A. in Journalism, "Nick" expanded his professional and volunteer experiences at youth organizations like including City Year New York, iMentor, and the NBMBAA CASH Mentoring Program.  He has organized community events for over 700 families and created the award winning The Genesis Project afterschool program, which aimed to improve literacy rates through journalism
Yannick is also the founder of We Are Boss Level, an events collective that produces events themed around gaming and comic book culture while fusing independent music and talent.
We Are Boss Level’s work has been featured in publications such as AM New York and USA Today.
 
Yannick has released two albums, Little Brother Syndrome (2012), and an EP, Peacoat Season (2014). He is currently working on his newest album, #Educatorlife .

At age 19, Harold Moore trip to London as an intern with the State Department. This experience not only got him out of his comfort zone, but opened up his understanding about the world, leading him to travel to more places around the world. 
 
Current Age: 31 
 
What impact do you feel this trip had on you?
An amazing one. It challenged my notions of comfort, it exposed me to what people think of the US, I learned about exchange rates and much more. It set the table for a lot of humility and future travel.
 
Do you feel this trip affected your sense of self or the world? If so, in what way?
I saw the world as a lot more interconnected after this trip. I grew to see my choices as a voter, as a student and a consumer affecting other people in places I had not known existed. I also saw that a lot of things I'd accepted as gospel (a silly example is American football's dominance or more seriously countries without guns being nonviolent) challenged and shift.
 
What do you think you accomplished or pursued that you otherwise would not have?
At this point I've traveled the world a couple times over. I've gone to Cuba and South Africa, Guatemala and Spain and all over. I think this trip was the gateway. 
 
“I saw the world as a lot more interconnected after this trip. I grew to see my choices as a voter, as a student and a consumer affecting other people in places I had not known existed.”

What do you feel contributed the most to this effect? 
When I visited the UK the dollar was worth about .5 pound sterling. So while I was already on a student budget (a student from a not very wealthy background) I now had the little money I had cut in half. I wouldn't completely equate this to an immigrant's experience but I grew to understand what necessity meant in a very different way. 

Once while in a car in London, I was once  subjected to an anti-American rant. I'd scarcely actually thought much of my American citizenship and what that'd mean elsewhere, because I'd hadn't been elsewhere. I realized that the world was just as afraid of then President Bush as I might've been.
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What advice would you give to the person you were before you took this journey?
Enjoy it. Meet more people, open your heart more, eat different food.

 Biography
Harold Moore is a consultant, trainer, organizer and recruiter originally from Chicago, Illinois. His specialties include integrations across on and offline channels, training and data collection. He's worked nationally for causes, candidates and organizations including Obama for America, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the New Organizing Institute, Blue State Digital, Color of Change, Rock the Vote and many more in a variety of technical, managerial and advocacy roles. Additionally he has served as a trainer or coach for Camp Wellstone, the Kairos Digital Fellowship, the Congressional Black Caucus and the American Heart Association and as a board member of the Mikva Challenge and Web of Change. If you need help with strategy, CRMs, data or just want to chat feel free to reach out at [email protected] ​

From urban life in Baltimore Maryland, Devin Murray at age 25 embarked in a life-changing experience when he decided to go to Australia as part of an international exchange program. The experience not only allowed him to engage in a humanitarian efforts by assisting with flood recovery, but see life beyond physical appearances and to see real value in the heart, mind, and soul of an individual.
 
Current Age: 31

What impact do you feel this trip had on you?
Coming from the urban life of Baltimore MD, I never imagined I would be able to see a place like Australia in real life. When I was finally able to do so, it changed my perception of the environment in which I grew up (inner city). The experience also changed my views on people and the value we place on material things and our physical appearance. Australia is a beautiful place. I also saw the unfortunate side of the aboriginal people there. Learning the history of the people, seeing the condition in which they were struggling, helped me change my perspective on my own values at the time. Seeing poverty all around us back in Baltimore, we just wanted to get out, drive nice cars, and have a lot of clothes and money to match; then maybe buy houses to serve as "status symbols". These were the values of an immature mind as I see it now. Being in Australia allowed me to see people who were in an even more impoverished situation than myself, which opened my eyes to a new view on life.

“…it made me realize that no matter how physically attractive one may appear to be, the value of who they are is in their heart, their actions, the mind and the soul.”

Do you feel this trip affected your sense of self or the world? If so, in what way?
Most definitely. Prior to this trip I was heavy into body building/weight lifting. With this comes a lot of attention as far as how good you look, how big and in shape you are or how attractive you are. But when you are not looking your best, your sense of self-worth declines because of the lack of attention you do not receive. For me personally, I noticed this was a big thing, it made me realize that no matter how physically attractive one may appear to be, the value of who they are is in their heart, their actions, the mind and the soul.
The situation that stuck out the most was when I met a woman inside of her jewelry store in Australia. She owned the store. After a long conversation, her last words to me were “it’s not the size or authenticity of the gold or diamond, but the value it has to you and how much it means to you whether big or small…"

What do you think you accomplished or pursued that you otherwise would not have?
I knew I had to see what life was like outside of Baltimore. And this is what brought me to California, which in turn allowed me to go to Australia. I later learned that it was always my mother's dream to go to California, and another relative of mines dream to go to Australia. In a sense I felt like I was doing it for them as well. Vicariously they would live that dream through me and knowing this fueled my desire to achieve more. I also went skydiving for the first time in Australia. To me, it was symbolic of getting rid of fear of many levels, mentally and physically.

Biography
Devin Murray was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated in 2003 from Woodlawn Senior High. Devin majored in Multicultural Relations acquiring a degree from Cuesta Community College.  He served in the California Conservation Corps from 2010 to 2016. Currently he resides in Berkeley California. 

Do You Have a Travel Story?
LFW is looking for first-time travel stories from Black Men. We want to know how your experience changed your life. Click HERE to tell us your story. Want to stay engaged? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. 

At 16, RJ Mahdi traveled to Senegal West Africa with a plan of engaging in his own spiritual growth.  It was in the historically spiritual city of Medina Baye where he experienced a new way of life and fresh perspective on his own identity.
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What impact do you feel this trip had on you?
It greatly impacted me. At an age when my peers were being killed, going to prison, finding trouble in the streets of America, I was able to escape to a place where my mind would be open to new opportunities and knowledge. I was hosted by the leaders of the city including the then Chief Imam Hassan Ali Cisse (d.2008). I was boarded with dozens of other young American youths and many kids from other places around the world and we were given guidance and mentorship that left a lasting impact on our lives.

"It showed me how different places can open up your mind in different ways. I also found that people were a lot more positive and progressive."

Do you feel this trip effected your sense of self or the world? If so, in what way?
Yes for sure. First, it showed me that America is such a small part of the world in full. It showed me how different places can open up your mind in different ways. I also found that people were a lot more positive and progressive. These things in addition to the beautiful community lifestyle and collective economics left me wanting to come back to Senegal for years.

What do you think you accomplished or pursued that you otherwise would not have?
I learned to speak the native West African language Wolof, which I now speak fluently. I learned it to conversational level in less than three months. I love the language and I am proud to call it my second tongue.

What do you feel contributed the most to this effect?
The spiritual and cultural richness and pureness in the people and the environment.

What advice would you give to the person you were before you took this journey?
Go. Be. Do.

​Biography
RJ Mahdi is an American entrepreneur and media professional who repatriated to Senegal West Africa in 2014 with his wife and young son. He is the Founder of the I AM MEDINA BAYE Project, the first English media outlet for the spiritual city and the co-Founder of the MADE IN AFRICA PROJECT, an e-commerce and marketing program that helped African artisans and craftsmen distribute over 2200lbs of goods around the world last year. RJ is also the Kaolack Area Director of the GIVE 1 PROJECT, a global organization in 36 countries that assists young people with building businesses, pursuing social change and building resources for tomorrow. ​