Welcome to
The Black To Africa
Foundation
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About
The Black to Africa Foundation is a 501c3 created to promote and facilitate meaningful connections between Black Americans and the African continent by offering free curated travel experiences for Black American youth who would otherwise not be able to participate in transformational trips to Africa due to financial barriers.
We aim to empower young Black Americans through immersive travel, personally connecting them with African countries and people, thereby fostering a deep sense of pride and belonging that is increasingly difficult to find in the United States.
Founders
Suhayb Ibn M Zarroug
Lestina C Trainor
Suhayb Zarroug a Sudanese-American, in his many years of dealings with top photographers & artists has developed his impeccable eye for style, brand & cultural aesthetic from a creative consulting & marketing standpoint. His impressive list of clients includes the iconic rockstar photographer Mick Rock, entertainer Miley Cyrus, Markus Klinko, world-renowned portrait photographer Richard Corman -most notably working with his acclaimed Jean-Michel Basquiat series and Beyonce's award winning production designer, Susan Linss.
Lestina Trainor began her career as a real estate attorney practicing in the ultra-lux markets of Greenwich, Connecticut, and New York City. A lifelong world traveler, she currently resides in Silicon Valley and in her spare time, enjoys curating once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences for a select group of exclusive clients. Her unique insight into the travel industry and vast experience with African American travelers like herself has led her to becoming a top consultant for the African American demographic in the luxury and adventure travel market.
Our History
#BlackToAfrica: The movement is the brainchild of luxury travel consultant Lestina Trainor of Palo Alto, California, and art dealer/creative consultant Suhayb Ibn M Zarroug of Austin, Texas.
Inspired by Ghana's 'Year of Return' campaign launched in 2019 & Israel's longstanding 'Birthright' initiative, Trainor and Zarroug felt passionate about the immeasurable benefits to young Black Americans who are afforded the chance to experience African countries and people firsthand. This is particularly important since Western depictions of the continent are largely negative, misleading, and damaging.
Well aware that many Black Americans lack the necessary resources to make African travel a reality, Trainor and Zarroug launched the Black to Africa Foundation Inc. to help as many people as possible embark on this transformative journey.
Brand Ambassador
Alton Mason is an American top model, influencer with 1M followers, and actor known for his role as Little Richard in the Academy Award-winning nominated film, Elvis and the first black male model to have walked for Chanel. Forbes listed him in its 30 Under 30 2021 for Art & Style.
With the support of the Kenyan government - and the star power of our brand ambassador Alton Mason - the #BlacktoAfrica movement kicked off its debut influencer trip in Kenya, February, 2023 to coincide with Black History month in the US.
