Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Destiny Gray. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Destiny, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I learned how to vogue at Debbie Reynolds Studio in Los Angeles in 2016 through the scholarship program. I started attending balls as a spectator. In 2017 I walked my first ball in New York and fell completely in love with the ball room scene. I was talking multiple vogue classes a week and attending every ball in Los Angeles. The most essential skill to learning how to vogue and the ballroom scene is to know the history. Knowing ballroom history gave me a better understanding of the community, the categories and the movement.

Destiny, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As a dancer I started out training at Debbie Reynolds Scholarship program. Within that program we were required to train in every dance style. Hip Hop, Jazz Funk, Ballet, Contemporary, House, Waacking, Afro, Heels, and Voguing. We were suppose to rotate classes every 3 months but I feel in love with voguing so much I stayed in it during my entire length of the program. Once I started voguing I wanted to learn even more so I started attending balls, then eventually walking balls and competing. From there I joined the House of Ninja in 2018. I’ve been deemed the Princess of the West Coast which is a leadership title in the ballroom scene. I’ve vogued in HBO MAX hit series A Black Lady Sketch Show Season 3 and Doechii MTV Push Performance. Although I have a passion for dancing I also have a strong passion for travel. I love traveling so much I’ve decided to create a business out of it. I’ve created Black Travel Vibes to encourage more melanated folks to travel outside of the US. Not only to travel around the world but to create an opportunity to travel at an affordable rate.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My mission with Black Travel Vibes is to create an opportunity for people of color to travel around the world to their dream destinations. I want to show and encourage black people that traveling often can be a part of their norm. I want to immerse my people in new cultures and traditions while having a black ass time in foreign countries!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’ve built my audience on social media by reposting a lot of black travelers and content creators giving them credit of course. I post travel hacks, travel deals and anything that can help people have a better travel experience. My advice to anyone trying to build their social media presence I would recommend finding your niche. For example although I love traveling there are millions of people who travel so my target is melanated people who travel which is a smaller target. I highlight and showcase them on my social media outlets. Lastly show up! Show up on your social media consistently. So much that when people think of that particular niche they instantly think of you!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blacktravelvibes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacktravelvibes/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blacktravelvibes