Jessica Nabongo On Becoming The First Black Woman To Visit Every Country In The World
Last month, 35-year-old Jessica Nabongo became the first black woman to visit every country in the world—that is, 195 total UN member countries and observing states, including the Vatican and Palestine. For two-and-a-half years, Nabongo, who grew up in Detroit and holds both an American and Ugandan passport, documented her journey via her massively popular Instagram account and blog, Catch Me If You Can. Her journey’s taken her diving off the coast of Colombia, exploring Buddhist pagodas in Burma, and private jetting to Art Basel in Miami.
In the overwhelmingly white travel blogging industry, Nabongo’s achievement is even more significant in terms of representation—something she doesn’t take for granted. And beyond advocating for equitable representation, Nabongo has used her platform to educate her followers about ethical travel, condemn racism and xenophobia, and promote self-care for a busy lifestyle. We caught up with Nabongo to see what she learned during her world tour.