The youngest of 13 children, Stephanie M. Jones spent her childhood in Detroit soaking up entrepreneurial skills as a shampoo girl for her single mother, who worked as a hairdresser and cosmetologist. In high school, she was voted “Best Dressed” and “Most Likely to Succeed” (thanks in part to her habit of wearing dresses and carrying a briefcase to school), and she vowed at an early age to be her own boss by the time she was 30 years old.  

Now, Jones is perhaps best known for her roles as the founder and CEO of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance (CHAT); the creator of the National Blacks and Tourism Collaborative; and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board for the U.S. Department of Commerce. But she's also someone who — after many years of facing her own professional challenges — has made it her life's mission to serve others by creating a more equitable space for underserved groups, from single mothers to small business owners and everyone in between.  

In this episode of Humans of Travel, Jones dives into some of her early pursuits, from working as a secretary in a discriminatory work environment to her time marketing small businesses and creating My Daughter’s Keeper, a nonprofit organization to help cultivate healthy relationships between mothers and their adolescent daughters.  

Listeners will also hear about Jones’ latest mission: To create tangible opportunities for Black and Brown small businesses to market themselves and attract the attention of tourism industry stakeholders across the U.S. 

INSIDE THIS EPISODE

01:00 Meet Stephanie M. Jones, the founder and CEO of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance (CHAT), the creator of the National Blacks and Tourism Collaborative, and a member of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board for the U.S. Department of Commerce

02:25: Jones tells listeners about her childhood in Detroit, where she grew up as the youngest of 13 children. 

09:18: Jones reflects on one of her first jobs, where she had her first experience with racism and discrimination in the workplace.

17:35: Jones moves on to help open the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

25:15 Listeners hear the origin story behind Jones' first nonprofit, "My Daughter's Keeper."

33:20:  Jones speaks about her transition into the travel industry and her mission to help small Black and Brown businesses operating within the tourism landscape.

39:30: Jones shares how her travel industry colleagues can get involved with her initiatives.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History 

Black Cultural Heritage Tours  

Blacks in Travel and Tourism Collaborative 

Contact Stephanie: [email protected] 

ABOUT YOUR HOST 

Emma Weissmann is the Digital Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. 

TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum. 

ABOUT THE SHOW 

TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the experiences — the highs and the lows — that make them human. 

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