30 Under 30: Meet Adebola Sowemimo
Adebola Sowemimo, creator of blog My Breaking Views, talks to Abra Dunsby about juggling jobs and ensuring black voices are heard in travel
Adebola Sowemimo, 30, has many strings to her career bow – from being the creator of food and travel blog My
Breaking Views to working in government as a senior policy manager, while also studying part-time for a masters in global diplomacy at SOAS University of London.
Also co-founder of Black Travel Creators, Sowemimo has had to step away from her role there recently due to time commitments.
“I hope to get into a global travel role in the future, such as working for the UN or being a diplomat,” says Sowemimo, adding that this would fuel her passion for travel and politics.
She caught the travel bug at university where, as part of her degree in international politics, she spent seven months in Singapore. “I was able to travel all of south-east Asia, which was amazing. I was transported to another world,” she says.
While posting about her travels on social media, Sowemimo realised there was a gap in the market for a travel blog aimed at black travellers. “People who look like me were asking me questions about travel and wanting to do it,” she explains, leading to the creation of My Breaking Views two years ago.
COOKING UP NEW IDEAS
While travel was off the cards during lockdown, Sowemimo incorporated a new concept into her blog to encourage engagement. She explains: “I did live sessions on Instagram about different dishes from around the world, creating them with my followers and learning about countries including Nigeria, Barbados and Colombia.”
The activity also caught the eye of the media, with Sowemimo, whose family are from Nigeria, being asked to prepare jollof rice for Lonely Planet’s YouTube channel, and being interviewed by Huffington Post about the future of travel.
BLACK REPRESENTATION
While Sowemimo is currently focused on her masters, she will continue to write for her travel blog too. “As a black female I think it’s important to explore the world and experience different cultures and be the first generation able to do that.”
Through her place on the TTG 30 Under 30 programme and via her blog, she hopes to inspire other black content creators and travel fans to take the plunge and follow their career dreams. “I want to see more people that look like me [in the industry] and encourage people that haven’t travelled to know they can, and that they can also work in travel.
“There are good, well-paid jobs in this sector and it’s about promoting that and making sure people are aware of it.”
To other hopefuls looking to make it in travel, she advises, “if it’s something you’re passionate about, go for it”, adding that it’s also important to ensure that black voices are encouraged. “When you go to certain events, ask ‘what are you doing for the black community? How are you engaging with them and ensuring they are seen?’” she says.
“There’s so much money spent on travel by the black community. It’s worth billions and it’s important that’s recognised.”
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