“No Pigeons” is the name of the spinoff (and subpar) track by Sporty Thievz released in 1999 as a response to TLC’s “No Scrubs.” It’s also Unbothered culture critic and Unbothered Go Off, Sis podcast co-host Ineye Komonibo’s official requirement when looking for a city to live in. Absolutely no pigeons. Her “pigeon phobia” is part of why she’s done with New York City. “I'm tired. It's making me stressed out and I feel like my nervous system is shot… There is a culture of hustling and grinding that is ingrained into [New York’s] DNA that does not necessarily allow for a certain quality of life that I'm looking for,” Komonibo, who lives in Brooklyn, shared on the latest episode of Go Off, Sis. “I've had enough. I won't be renewing my lease next year. I'm outta here.”
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Komonibo’s decision to leave the city she’s called home for an easier, more carefree life somewhere else is one many people — especially Black folks — have been making lately. Since the pandemic hit, people are reassessing their living situations and choosing to pack up and go. Whether it’s for a short getaway or a life-changing move, Black people are out here traveling in 2022. In this episode, the hosts of Go Off, Sis dig deep into what goes into the decision to leave a city, the responsibilities that come with traveling abroad, and why so many Black women are leaving America.
“Once I'm financially 110% [and] stable or where I wanna be, I am completely out of America,” said Associate Social Strategist Maiya Carmichael. “Bye-bye, arrivederci, see you never again. Mama sends you a postcard. [laughs] 'Cause I don't know if this country is all the way for me, so I gotta explore the world.”
Joining the hosts for this episode is someone who knows a thing or two about exploring the world: travel influencer and entrepreneur Chidi Ashley. She is the founder and CEO of Luxe Tribes, a travel service and community, which provides authentic stress-free bucket list experiences to travelers. Ashley is also the CEO of Readyhubb, a software solutions company and marketplace design for independent beauty professionals to market their services and manage their appointments. She has lived all over the world — The U.S., Nigeria, South Africa, England, Thailand, Bali, Peru, Canada — and now she has settled in Dubai. With all of her experience traveling the world, we had to ask Ashley what it’s like navigating all these different cultures as a Black woman.
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“I think you'll come to find out that regardless of whether you're African, Black American — whatever Black you are — people just see you as Black. And so, people will naturally have stereotypes or expectations,” Ashley said. “I've kind of just operated in the sense of I'm just going to focus on me. And if I'm in Dubai, if I'm in Bali, I'm going to carry myself with a confidence that I don't care if they're staring, I don't care if they're looking, I'm here to have a good time. I'm here to get what I need from this space while also being respectful in that space.” Ashley talked more about respecting locals while traveling and how to set yourself up for success if you choose to travel or move abroad.
To hear more about Chidi Ashley’s many businesses (yes, she’s booked and busy) and how to travel ethically (if that’s even possible), listen to the full episode below.
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