39-year-old becomes first Black woman to visit every country in the world
DETROIT (WXYZ) – A 39-year-old who made history as the first Black woman to travel to all 195 countries in the world says we are all far more alike than different.
To hear 39-year-old Jessica Nabongo’s complete list of travel destinations means hearing the names of all 195 countries in the world. She’s the first Black woman to visit them all.
“I started traveling internationally with my family at the age of 4, and I came back from Antarctica a week ago,” Nabongo said.
Nabongo, a former employee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, rests on her Ugandan-Detroit roots, the wind beneath her travel wings.
“I’ve realized over time it’s less about me. I’ve become the blueprint for a lot of people, and I’m grateful for that because it’s allowed a lot of people to remove their fear. And I’m not saying just Black women, you know, women of all races,” Nabongo said.
She visited most of the countries alone and with an open mind and heart. She says we are far more similar than different.
“I say to everyone, ‘Is there racism in the world? Yes, there is racism in the world. Have I let it stop me from seeing the world? Absolutely not.’ So, for me, I really try to encourage people. Don’t try to figure out which countries are best for Black. Go anywhere you wanna go. Go with a positive attitude, go with positive energy and you’re gonna receive that back.”
In her new book, “The Catch Me If You Can,” Nabongo takes readers on her travel journey in the order she experienced it and through the lens of her own camera.
“It’s 100 stories from 100 countries, and it was amazing just putting it together,” she said.
With dozens more flights this year for her book tour, Nabongo is also focused on her next chapter: completing her travels of the United States.
“So, my 40th birthday is in May, and I’m on a mission to finish my last six states before my 40th,” she said.
Those last six states are Alaska, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.
Nabongo told Forbes back in 2018 that the secret to finding a job anywhere is holding a graduate degree from a school with an international reputation. She earned hers from the London School of Economics.
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