Deconstructing Travis
Travis Thomas
Travis is a Cross-cultural leader, Writer, Poet and Teacher based in Mérida, Mexico. He’s traveled to countries such as China, Haiti, Kenya and has been all up and down the Americas. Hey now!
Big Bad Bogotá
Our paths collided in Bogotá in the fall of 2018. Travis brought together a dope group of artists and poets as an extension to Paradox and Poetry, which he originally founded in the US. Finding this group of like-minded creatives was one of the main reasons I made the leap from Medellín to Bogotá. Thanks, T!
Paradox & Poetry
Travis thought up the concept of Paradox and Poetry as a remedy to relieve tensions within the community of Aiken, South Carolina after 2 police officers were killed. Travis teamed up with the police chief and a mental health counselor, both Black women, to create a community open mic in local parks in order to bring people together. Police officers were present to serve food (literally ‘serve’ their community) and get to know the members of the community in a neutral setting.
Creating space for people to share their stories brought empathy, which was severely lacking. When he set off on his travels, Travis continued to create a safe place for people to share. His legacy has touched the lives and hearts of many people around the world.
Deconstructing Travis
Travis says that Bogotá was a place for him to deconstruct his world view on issues such as: the Western world, Christianity, self image and W. E. B. Du Bois’ theory of double consciousness. He took the chance to step away from leadership roles, which had been thrust upon him at a young age, due to life circumstances. Bogotá also represented the first time he was able to simply “live” without the burdens and responsibilities of being Black in America.
Travis spent that time resting and mapping out where he wanted to invest his time when he started working again. The two themes that kept coming up were teaching and writing. Since then, that is where his focus and energy has gone.
“When do ‘we’ [Black people] get to live and actually enjoy life? We deserve rest as a sense of justice, restorative justice.”
His Current Passion Projects
Black Without Borders
The aim is to create international mobility in the diaspora by networking and create relationship between those who travel and those who desire to travel. Black Without Borders bridges the gap of knowledge between the following groups:
No passport with desire to travel
Passport but no international travel yet
Passport with international travel, but living stateside
Passport and living abroad – part time or full time
“Wherever you are, just start. Explore the next town over, do the research. Start with the practice of exploring the spaces around you.”
Paradox And Poetry
Paradox and Poetry is a multimedia platform that seeks to promote cross-cultural and multicultural community through; local and global poetry events, interviews, podcasts, as well as digital and physical print products.