FOUNDER MESSAGE
I AM C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D. was born from my own journey that began in my childhood but found its defining moment on a hotel balcony in Marrakesh, Morocco during my 32nd birthday. That afternoon, with the hum of the city in the background, I reflected on a life shaped by my mother’s values, my Caribbean American roots, and a passion for travel that has carried me to every continent except Antarctica. (I was born in July, so I’ll happily leave the cold to the penguins!)
Travel has not only shaped who I am, but how I see the world. I find wonder in both the grand and the simple: watching waves ripple across the water, listening to birds sing, following ants as they work diligently across the dirt, or getting lost in the vibrant colors of a country’s street art. These moments remind me of the beauty and rhythm of life everywhere, and they fuel my commitment to share that beauty with others.
My mother believed in experiences over possessions. She gave me the window seat, literally and figuratively. We flew first class, visited museums, spent summer nights at Grant’s Tomb listening to jazz, celebrated DanceAfrica and the International African Arts Festival, and made Alvin Ailey performances a holiday tradition. Those experiences opened my mind and heart to a world far beyond my neighborhood.
“My mother believed in experiences over possessions. She gave me the window seat, literally and figuratively.”
At just 11 years old, I traveled without my parents for the first time to Australia and New Zealand with a for-profit youth program. I was one of only two students of color. The cost was staggering, and the sense of community was limited. I didn’t yet understand that this wasn’t just my reality; it was part of a bigger story: systemic barriers, inequities, and lack of access that kept too many Black and Brown youth from seeing the world.
As I grew older, I realized that many of my friends hadn’t traveled as I had. For some, it was by choice, but for many it was because of economic barriers, lack of trusted resources, or simply never being exposed to the possibility. I also saw how youth travel often started within predominantly white institutions where global programs were built into the educational experience. At my beloved HBCU, opportunities existed, but they weren’t always as visible, accessible, or supported.
That gap is why I founded I AM C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D.
Our mission is to ensure that Black and Brown youth have access to transformative cultural experiences, mentorship, and enrichment workshops, helping them see the world, expand their sense of possibility, and step into their own power. Global learning is more than just travel; it’s mental wellness, resilience, professional readiness, and self-discovery. To see your reflection in a place you’ve only read about, something shifts. You come home different, more aware, more connected, more you.
We want our young people to catch the travel bug, but more than that, we want them to be equipped to move with purpose, from walking the streets of Cartagena to leading in the boardrooms of corporate America. We want them to be C.U.L.T.U.R.E.D. (Confident. Unique. Tenacious. Unstoppable. Regal. Educated. Daring)
Because the world is their classroom. And it’s never too early to start learning.
~Karmia Berry, Founder