At one point, I laid my head on the steering wheel and sobbed hysterically, “I can’t do this! I can’t do this!” From the backseat, a small hand found my shoulder. While patting it reassuringly, her tiny four-year-old voice said, “But you’re the Mommy. You gotta do it.” I didn’t want to do it. Absolutely not. Instead, I wanted to leave the van and all its contents and be rescued by a moderately handsome and incredibly capable Forest Ranger. And then spend the rest of my natural life drinking Margaritas and watching my Forest Ranger build me a shopping mall out of twigs. Alas, I was the Mommy and I had to push on.

Along the way, he hopes to empower the black community with a message to go to far-flung places that aren’t the typical travel destinations, as well as prod the tourism industry into action that embraces people of color. Black travel is not to be neglected or discriminated against through white-focused advertising and marketing. He’s a front runner for change, inspiration, and empowerment — part of a growing movement that rightfully demands equal recognition and representation they have been denied.

What would you give up to chase your dreams? Matt Ray leads a surreal existence that encompasses swimming with elusive whale sharks, jungle treks in pristine rainforests, lemur encounters in Madagascar, South African safaris and stunning ocean horizons. He’s an environmentalist, minimalist, sailor, diver, writer, musician, photographer and world traveler. But he wasn’t always that guy. Only a short few years ago, he was like most of us. He worked diligently for his employer, had realistic goal