Detroiter makes history as first African American woman to visit every country

DETROIT (WXYZ) — She smiles just as much when she talks about her days at the Little Flower Sanctuary as she does about her dazzling time on the beaches of the Maldives.

A woman of Ugandan descent is making history by transferring the humility of her Detroit upbringing to countries around the world.

At 39, Jessica Nabongo is the first African-American woman to travel to all 195 countries.

Nabongo, a former employee of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is returning home to Detroit for a while, which is her favorite place.

To hear his complete list of travel destinations is to hear the names of every country in the world. She says we are much more alike than different.

“I realized over time that it meant less to me,” she said. “I became a role model for a lot of people and I’m grateful for that because it allowed a lot of people to eliminate their fear. And I’m not just talking about black women – (people) of all races.

She has traveled to most places alone, but with an open mind and heart that is not limited to her skin color.

“People often ask me ‘where is it safe to travel as a black person?’ »And I think that more than my blackness, a lot of my travels are influenced by the fact that I look African. Usually I’m bald. And so, that had an impact in terms of immigration.

“But I say to everyone, ‘Is there racism in the world?’ Have I let this stop me from seeing the world? Absolutely not. So for me, I’m really trying to encourage people to not try to figure out which countries are best for black (people).) Go where you want to go. Go with a positive attitude, go with positive energy and you will receive it in return.

If you can’t make it around the world, you can get there in the pages of her new book called “The Catch Me If You Can,” where Nabongo takes you on her journey in the order she experienced it in through the lens. from his own camera.

“It’s 100 stories from 100 countries, and it was amazing putting them together,” she said.

From the breathtaking view of his east-side condominium, Nabongo rests on his Ugandan-Detroit roots with the wind beneath his traveling wings.

“I started traveling abroad with my family when I was 4 years old and came back from Antarctica a week ago,” Nabongo said with a smile.

With dozens of additional flights this year for his book tour, Nabongo is also focused on his next chapter.

“So my 40th birthday is in May and I’m on a mission to finish my last six states before my 40th birthday.

The last six states she wants to visit before she turns 40 are Alaska, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska.

Soon, she will release a cookbook featuring 75 recipes from 75 countries, inspired by her extensive culinary memory, that will showcase all of Detroit’s rich flavors and cultures.

When asked what people, especially Americans, have in common, she replied that there are more good people than bad people, and that we are all the same beneath the surface once we we have gone beyond what is above.