“You ain’t accustomed to going through customs, you ain’t been nowhere, hah?”
Kanye belts out this line in his most recent Jay-Z collab “Otis” to show off his jet-setting abilities. But the line makes you think–when was the last time you traveled abroad? Traveling opens up the individual to a world of new cultural experiences, making us global consumers and altering the way we may perceive the world. Traveling is not only good for a random vay-cay stay but a nice way to come-of-age and learn more about the self as an individual.
Only 37 percent of Americans currently own passports, a report from the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries states. This is low compared to the United Kingdom’s 75% and Canada’s 60%.
But Kenji Summers wants to change that, especially for individuals of color who may not have the accessibility or funds to do so.
This year, Summers launched the Passport Project to help provide grants so that people can get their passports. His inspiration? A line from Lupe Fiasco’s “Paris, Tokyo”: ‘Fly to Paris, and end up in Tokyo. Lets start a coalition so even the broken can go.’
Want to get your passport? Check out rules below:
