Some of the most popular people in black media and entertainment came out to support actor Laz Alonso as he celebrated his appointment as travel ambassador for BlackAtlas.com. The site is American Airlines’ social network that provides insight on various places around the world from an African American perspective. As the face of Black Atlas, Alonso will travel to various locations and documents his trips to give viewers a taste of what to experience in these countries.
When brainstorming about possible venues to hold this festive occasion, Curtis Coats, vice president of engagement marketing for America Airlines says he was looking for “something that was unique, something that was historic, something that spoke to our culture and history. When I thought of that, Studio Museum immediately came to mind.â€
Studio Museum, located in the heart of Harlem, New York, is filled with statues and artifacts highlighting the African American experience, so when legends such as actor Robert Townsend and media maven Harriette Cole are in attendance, it’s a perfect fit. Alonso shared the stage with George Carrancho, vice president of diversity marketing for American Airlines, during the news conference to discuss the purpose and vision of BlackAtlas.com.Â
Alonso spoke about his deep interest in this opportunity as he has travelled all over the world in his career and would like for minorities to explore different parts of the world as well to get the same experience. “When you travel, especially outside the United States, it just opens your eyes to a lot of things and your defenses eventually come down and you realize we’re all the same,†he said, recalling a 2005 trip to Moscow.
Black Atlas presented a video featuring Alonso in various countries around the globe including the Dominican Republic and Brazil, giving the audience a glimpse of what to expect from the ambassador and the Website. Carrancho says the purpose of the site is to be interactive, so travel coverage in urban neighborhoods such as Detroit and Harlem is encouraged for members of the site to invite people to visit their communities as travel destinations.
After the news conference, dinner, catered by celebrity chef and Harlem restaurant owner, Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster, was served. The private, invite-only crowd was entertained by the soulful sounds of recording artist Melanie Fiona. In attendance were the likes of Basketball Wives’ Jennifer Williams, Love & Hip Hop’s Somaya Reece, New York Knicks’ J.R. Smith, HGTV host Tanika Ray, bloggers Necole Bitchie, Rae Holliday and Gabriel Williams of Stuff Fly People Like, Chuck Creekmur of AllHipHop.com and many more.
To learn more about travel, watch videos featuring Laz Alonso’s journeys, or submit your own videos chronicling your world travels, visit Blackatlas.com.