Black Girl Wanderer is a series spotlighting the travels and explorations of Black women journeying the world. Black women in all their magic and all their glory wander the earth, sprinkling the earth with their brown and their gold.
Francesca Murray is familiar with the travel game. With over a decade of experience, Murray is a creative entrepreneur and founder of One Girl One World®, where she combines beauty and travel influencing and content creation. She also has a background in on-camera hosting and journalism.
“I started One Girl One World to inspire women of color to live life on their own terms, and today that has expanded into representation in the beauty space as well. I love giving natural hair tips on the go, skincare advice for melanated travelers, and everything in between!” Murray told xoNecole.
Murray grew up in Los Angeles, where she was exposed to a diverse set of cultures and friends from Filipino to Afro-Brazilian backgrounds. She took her first international trip at 18 to visit her Grandma’s Garifuna village in Honduras. This trip ignited in her a deep passion for travel, and a few years later, she received a scholarship to study abroad in Italy.
Her hope is to bring more representation in the travel industry, which was lacking when she was growing up, and starting her career. With over 30 countries under her belt, she has been able to do just that. One of her biggest pieces of advice for those who want to travel is not to be afraid to take the adventure solo.
“I’m a big advocate for solo travel! If I had let not having someone to go with stop me, I probably wouldn’t have been to half the places I’ve been. If you’re nervous about solo travel, start with a staycation in a nearby city or state. Big cities are great because it’s easy to blend into a crowd, and no one will know you’re there by yourself unless you tell them,” she said.
Read more about a few of Murray’s favorite locales and experiences thus far:
Cook Island
Cook Island
Photo Credit: Imani Murray
2019
"I love how rich the culture is. I took a dance class and learned that there are a lot of similarities between their culture and my own as a Black American and Afro-Latina. They move their hips to the rhythm of the drums, and it came really naturally to me. I also enjoyed visiting Aitutaki, a short plane ride away and a literal paradise. The Te Vara Nui overwater night show is an absolute must-see if you want to experience Cook Island dance from professionals! I also highly recommend going to the Muri Night Market for amazing local dishes at an affordable price."
Pro Tip: "Indulge in a massage and spa treatment at Hibiscus Spa at Moana Sands Lagoon Resort!"
Paris, France
Courtesy of One Girl One World Media, LLC
Frequently over the years
"I lived in France for a year after college and completely fell in love with the language and diversity within the culture. Especially in Paris! I’ve been to Paris more times than I can count. People don’t often picture people of color when they think of a typical Parisian, but it’s one of the most diverse cities I’ve been to. I also love French cuisine, especially the cheeses! One of the reasons I enjoy visiting France so much is because I speak the language. I’ve found that knowing the language helps to get a better understanding of the culture, as well as better recommendations from locals! While I thoroughly enjoy the usual attractions like the Eiffel Tower and Louvre, I’ve also discovered some cool activities I wouldn’t have if I didn’t know the locals.
"If you love luxury and niche perfumes, you must go window shopping on Rue Saint-Honoré. It’s where all the luxury boutiques are, from Chanel to YSL."
You’ll also be pleased to know that prices are also cheaper than in the USA! If you’re feeling fancy, follow that up with drinks at the nearby Ritz Carlton. My most recent memory is traveling solo this summer. I’ve come a long way from my broke post-college days, and it was a pleasure to be able to explore the city differently. I have a bit of an obsession with fragrances, and France is the fragrance capital of the world. It was so much fun to be able to go from niche boutique to boutique, like Maison Francis Kurkdijan (the house that produces Baccarat Rouge 540) and Byredo, and discover different scents and chat with the employees about their favorite fragrances."
Pro Tip: "I recommend going skincare shopping, which can be easy and affordable since France has world-class products available at the grocery store. Pick up a beautifully scented body wash (one of my favorites is rose-scented from Roger Gallet) body cream, and perfume, and treat yourself to a spa day in your hotel. Afterward, you can venture out for a happy hour and indulge in a glass of red wine while people-watching!"
The United States
Los Angeles
Courtesy of One Girl One World Media, LLC
Homebase, more in-depth travel in 2021
"I know this is a wildcard, but I love offering more accessible choices for people who don’t have the means to go abroad yet. In 2021, I made it my goal to mainly partner with U.S. tourism boards to show people that they didn’t have to go far to have a great experience. I went skiing for the first time in Utah, took a road trip to Big Sur in California, and did wine tasting in San Luis Obispo. The memories I have are priceless, and many of them were life-changing! The ease of traveling through the USA makes it worthy of consideration. You can do so many things without a passport. You can see the most incredible autumn foliage in Maine, or feel like you’re in the Caribbean with a trip to the Florida Keys. The possibilities are honestly endless!"
Pro Tip: "Visiting Tulsa for the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I learned so much about race relations in America, and I honestly think a visit to Greenwood should be on every single American’s list, no matter your race or background. Tulsa is also just a fun city in general, with fun nightlife, great food, and a lot of interesting cultural museums."
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Featured image courtesy of One Girl One World Media, LLC
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
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Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
