Kitty J. Pope launched the International Association
of Black Travel Writers when she contacted and
collaborated with fellow writers who had similar
ideas of an umbrella organization for black travel
writers. She then proceeded to set up, develop and
promote the organization.
A former lifestyle and travel editor of a national
lifestyle and entertainment magazine, Pope has
written and edited many travel articles for different
newspapers and magazines. In addition to her
extensive travel experiences, she has attended
various conferences and workshops related to the
travel industry.
A former college counselor and the author of the
book Beside Every Great Man (Amber Publishers),
Pope is currently a freelance writer, and the editorial
director and public relation specialist for One Love
Communications Group. She is also a travel agent
and the coordinator of the African Diaspora Heritage
Travel and Educational Resource Forum.
of Black Travel Writers when she contacted and
collaborated with fellow writers who had similar
ideas of an umbrella organization for black travel
writers. She then proceeded to set up, develop and
promote the organization.
A former lifestyle and travel editor of a national
lifestyle and entertainment magazine, Pope has
written and edited many travel articles for different
newspapers and magazines. In addition to her
extensive travel experiences, she has attended
various conferences and workshops related to the
travel industry.
A former college counselor and the author of the
book Beside Every Great Man (Amber Publishers),
Pope is currently a freelance writer, and the editorial
director and public relation specialist for One Love
Communications Group. She is also a travel agent
and the coordinator of the African Diaspora Heritage
Travel and Educational Resource Forum.
Roy L. Williams is the tourism and hospitality
writer for the Birmingham News in Alabama. He
is a member of the National Association of Black
Journalist (NABJ) and TravelJouno, the North
American Association of Travel and Lifestyle
Writers. As Acting Board Chairman of the
International Association of Black Travel Writers,
he is helping to set up the organization though
what he has learned as a travel columnist and his
associations with NABJ, TravelJourno and other
professionals in the travel industry.
Married, with two young children, he specializes
in writing travel stories for couples with children
and attractions that appeal to families. A 17-year
veteran journalist, Williams is the author of the
book 911 God Help Us - A Journalist's Tale of
Faith which details his journey from tragedy to
peace in the wake of losing his oldest brother in
the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
writer for the Birmingham News in Alabama. He
is a member of the National Association of Black
Journalist (NABJ) and TravelJouno, the North
American Association of Travel and Lifestyle
Writers. As Acting Board Chairman of the
International Association of Black Travel Writers,
he is helping to set up the organization though
what he has learned as a travel columnist and his
associations with NABJ, TravelJourno and other
professionals in the travel industry.
Married, with two young children, he specializes
in writing travel stories for couples with children
and attractions that appeal to families. A 17-year
veteran journalist, Williams is the author of the
book 911 God Help Us - A Journalist's Tale of
Faith which details his journey from tragedy to
peace in the wake of losing his oldest brother in
the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.
Roy L. Williams
Chairman of Board
Chairman of Board
R. Victoria Arana organized and hosted the first
international conference on Black Travel Writers
in Washington, D.C. in 2003, where 300 writers
and scholars in the travel field attended. An
English Professor at Howard University where
she is the Director of the Graduate Program in
English, she teaches research and critical
methods, British literature,‘black’ British travel
writing, ‘black’ British writers, and post-colonial
critical theory and literature. Her recent
publications include Black Travel Writing (BMa
2004) and Black British Writing (Palgrave
Macmillan 2004).
Arana's essays on Courttia Newland and the
1980s in Britain appear in the collection of critical
essays Write Black British (Hansib Press, 2005).
She has served as a judge for the prestigious
2005 Caine Prize for African Literature. She is
currently editing a volume for the Dictionary of
Literary Biography on Contemporary Black
British Writers and a companion to 20th-century
world poetry.
international conference on Black Travel Writers
in Washington, D.C. in 2003, where 300 writers
and scholars in the travel field attended. An
English Professor at Howard University where
she is the Director of the Graduate Program in
English, she teaches research and critical
methods, British literature,‘black’ British travel
writing, ‘black’ British writers, and post-colonial
critical theory and literature. Her recent
publications include Black Travel Writing (BMa
2004) and Black British Writing (Palgrave
Macmillan 2004).
Arana's essays on Courttia Newland and the
1980s in Britain appear in the collection of critical
essays Write Black British (Hansib Press, 2005).
She has served as a judge for the prestigious
2005 Caine Prize for African Literature. She is
currently editing a volume for the Dictionary of
Literary Biography on Contemporary Black
British Writers and a companion to 20th-century
world poetry.
R. Victoria Arana
Special Programs Chairman
Special Programs Chairman
Kitty J. Pope
Founder / Executive Director
Founder / Executive Director
IABTW Board of Directors
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Michael Adams is the editor and producer of
Traveling in My World online travel column . A
certified print and broadcast journalist, who has
written for many publications including Black
Meetings and Tourism, Savoy, Upscale, Living
Spaces, Atlanta Magazine and Black Enterprise,
Adams began his career as an entertainment
reporter/producer and writer for a major cable
station. He went on to become an editor and sales
executive for a major travel magazine before
venturing out on his own to become a full-time
freelance travel writer and travel editor for
several publications.
Adams continues to travel all over the world,
specializing in spa and resort tourism, doing at least
two trips a month. A member of the National
Association of Black Journalist and the Society of
Travel Writers, he is working on launching a segment
of Traveling in My World for a TV show.
Traveling in My World online travel column . A
certified print and broadcast journalist, who has
written for many publications including Black
Meetings and Tourism, Savoy, Upscale, Living
Spaces, Atlanta Magazine and Black Enterprise,
Adams began his career as an entertainment
reporter/producer and writer for a major cable
station. He went on to become an editor and sales
executive for a major travel magazine before
venturing out on his own to become a full-time
freelance travel writer and travel editor for
several publications.
Adams continues to travel all over the world,
specializing in spa and resort tourism, doing at least
two trips a month. A member of the National
Association of Black Journalist and the Society of
Travel Writers, he is working on launching a segment
of Traveling in My World for a TV show.
Kristina J. Pope is an A student at Georgia State
University majoring in philosophy with aspirations of
attending law school. She got her start in creative
writing when she did an article on being yourself at
the age of five for a local newspaper. At the age of
six she did another article for a publication about
being a friend. By grammar school she had won a
county-wide essay contest on multiculturalism.
After starting her own e-commerce business at the
age of 16, she became interested in travel writing
when going on family press trips with her mother. A
travel agent and promotions / destination model, she
is currently writing travel articles for travel websites
and online magazines. Kristina has a love and knack
for foreign languages and is conversational in
Spanish, German and French. A self-proclaimed
environmentalist, Kristina is a member of the
International Ecotourism Society.
University majoring in philosophy with aspirations of
attending law school. She got her start in creative
writing when she did an article on being yourself at
the age of five for a local newspaper. At the age of
six she did another article for a publication about
being a friend. By grammar school she had won a
county-wide essay contest on multiculturalism.
After starting her own e-commerce business at the
age of 16, she became interested in travel writing
when going on family press trips with her mother. A
travel agent and promotions / destination model, she
is currently writing travel articles for travel websites
and online magazines. Kristina has a love and knack
for foreign languages and is conversational in
Spanish, German and French. A self-proclaimed
environmentalist, Kristina is a member of the
International Ecotourism Society.
Michael Adams
1st Vice-Chairman of Board
1st Vice-Chairman of Board
Gale H. Gay
2nd Vice-Chairman of Board
2nd Vice-Chairman of Board
Kristina J. Pope
Secretary / Treasurer
Secretary / Treasurer
Gale Horton Gay is managing editor of ACE III
Communications and editor-in-chief of Atlanta
GoodLife magazine. With a bachelor’s degree in
communication and an associate’s degree in
journalism, she has been in the field of
communications for 29 years having worked as a
reporter, editor and freelance writer. For five
years, she headed an Atlanta-based public
relations firm.
Gay has been recognized for her contributions to
the field of communications from the
International Association of Business
Communications and won awards from the
Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the
Georgia Press Association. Gale has been a
travel writer for five years and travels extensively
in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Communications and editor-in-chief of Atlanta
GoodLife magazine. With a bachelor’s degree in
communication and an associate’s degree in
journalism, she has been in the field of
communications for 29 years having worked as a
reporter, editor and freelance writer. For five
years, she headed an Atlanta-based public
relations firm.
Gay has been recognized for her contributions to
the field of communications from the
International Association of Business
Communications and won awards from the
Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the
Georgia Press Association. Gale has been a
travel writer for five years and travels extensively
in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.