Next year, the company is heading to Brazil, Guatemala, and Uruguay!
Afro-Latino culture up close: will Kim Haas's tours change how you travel?
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Kim Haas discovered her enduring passion for travel at the age of 6. During her inaugural journey outside the United States to Acapulco, Mexico, a stranger approached her and her grandmother in the hotel lobby, inquiring whether Haas would like to learn to count to 20 in Spanish. Enthusiastically accepting, Haas recounted, "From that moment on, I was captivated by Spanish, travel, language, and culture."
Her fascination with the history and culture of Latin American communities inspired her to create and star in her own PBS television program, Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas. She now curates group travel experiences through her eponymous company.
For Haas, these tours represent a logical extension of her television series. "I aimed to provide individuals with firsthand opportunities to engage with Afro-descendant culture – to connect with communities, hear their narratives, and witness their resilience and creativity beyond the scope of the television series," she explained.
Her first group excursion occurred in July 2022 in Costa Rica, conceived from an email by a television viewer requesting an Afro-Costa Rica tour following the airing of the Costa Rica episodes. Haas tailored a tour for this group, incorporating meetings with Afro-Costa Ricans featured in the series, such as writer Quince Duncan and cacao farmer Daniel South and participation in activities like cooking classes, ziplining, and whitewater rafting.
In July 2025, Haas will lead travelers on a profound journey through Colombia, highlighting the resilience, history, and contributions of Afro-descendant communities. The tour commences in Cali, the world's salsa capital, featuring visits to historical and cultural landmarks, including the Salsa Museum and the Afro-Colombian village of San Cipriano, an eco-friendly village in the Colombian rainforest. The tour concludes in Cartagena, a vibrant and historically significant city that once served as a major port during the transatlantic slave trade. In Cartagena, travelers will explore the "walled city" and the UNESCO-recognized San Basilio de Palenque, the first free Black town in the Americas.
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According to Haas, the achievements and stories of Afro-Latinos, particularly women, are rarely acknowledged in mainstream media and society. "There are numerous remarkable Afro-Colombian women deserving of recognition," she stated.
Haas cited Edna Valencia, the first Afro-Colombian journalist to wear an afro hairstyle on Colombian television, as a notable example. Valencia served as a diversity consultant for Disney's Academy Award-winning film Encanto, ensuring the accurate depiction of Afro-Colombian characters, including details like skin color, hair, and clothing. Valencia will be among the featured guests on Haas's Colombia tour, scheduled from July 16-24.
"I aimed to provide individuals with firsthand opportunities to engage with Afro-descendant culture – to connect with communities, hear their narratives, and witness their resilience and creativity beyond the scope of the television series," Kim Haas reiterated.
Haas clarified that travelers need not be of African descent to participate in the tours. The sole requirement is an open mind and a genuine interest in dismantling barriers and stereotypes. Next year, the company will offer tours in 3 additional countries: Brazil, Guatemala, and Uruguay.
Further details about the Colombia tour can be found at travelswithkimhaas.com.
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