Meet Nubia Younge: Founder & CEO of Black In Tulum

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nubia Younge and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nubia, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Black In Tulum is the first and ONLY community for Black & brown travelers to come together and vibe where the jungle meets the sea. As a collective of creatives, we come together to provide resources, recommendations, exclusive events and memorable experiences for melanated travelers in Tulum! With a community of approximately 13k members, B.I.T has made a huge positive impact on the locals and local businesses by bringing in high numbers of travelers to the area amidst the pandemic, when local businesses were closed and had no patrons. Our members educate one another by sharing local news, historical facts about Tulum and members share their experiences and give recommendations for everything from restaurants, hotels, airbnbs, excursions, etc. All of the resources available in the group empower non-travelers to feel more comfortable and make a better informed decision to book their flights and accommodations to explore Tulum and the Quintana Roo area. The group provides necessary information, resources and a safe space for a successful trip!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Let’s start with how… Black In Tulum started back in July 2020 as a Facebook group. With the political turmoil and civil unrest in America, I wanted to create a space for Black & brown travelers to know there was a place where they could travel and enjoy the company of other melaninated travelers while being surrounded by the beauty of the Caribbean sea and magic of the Mayan jungle. It started with a small brunch on the white sandy beaches of Tulum, to us currently hosting several events a month in the Tulum and Playa del Carmen area. This journey has definitely not been easy. There have been a lot of mistakes made along the way and challenges that we continue to face. However, the positive will always outweigh the negative. I am on a personal mission to inspire and encourage GenX professionals to stop waiting for permission to chase their dreams and to get out of their comfort zone and explore the world. Carpe diem!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Tulum is known for its clear turquoise waters, white sandy beaches, cool cenotes, and top-notch restaurants. The bohemian, laid-back, tropical vibe is definitely the best place for a long weekend getaway. One of my favorite places to hit up for some authentic mexican food is Los Molcajetes Tulum. This mom and pop restaurant has great tacos, fast and friendly service and even better prices! Next up, let’s hit the hotel zone and parlay at La Zebra. This beachclub is super chill, relaxed vibe and has the best mezcal margaritas in Tulum! It’s a perfect place to chill, grab some drinks and take in the sun. For the best nighttime vibe, head over to any of the restaurants along the hotel zone strip. There is no shortage of restaurants with great food and jungle vibes! Laguna de Kaan Luum is the perfect place to start your day! This place is truly on of Tulum’s best kept secrets. With its clear, shallow turquoise water, hammocks & a pier, it’s a perfect place for some instagram worthy photos. Kai Tulum is next up on the list. This is where we held our very first B.I.T brunch, so i’d be remiss if I didn’t mention it. Kai is located on the quieter side of the Tulum beach strip. It’s a great place to grab a nice lunch or early dinner while taking in the beauty of the caribbean sea. Oh, and they have the best fried snapper! Make sure to hit up one of the the many cool cenotes. The state of Quintana Roo has over 7,000 cenotes so, there’s not one that I prefer over the other. Cenotes are fresh water holes that interconnect. There are 3 types of cenotes. Open, semi closed and closed. Depending on your swimming skill level would depend on which cenotes you should choose. Of course if you are in Tulum on a Wednesday evening, you should check out Welcome Wednesday’s at Mistico Shisha lounge in Centro Tulum. Each week, we host a mixer for melinanted travelers to meet up and connect over great drinks, good food and some of the best hookah in Tulum! Nipsey said it best… “Flew to Cancun, smoking Cubans on the boat and docked at Tulum just to smoke. Look, listening to music at the Mayan Ruins. True devotion on the bluest ocean, cruising.” Tulum Archaeological Zone is perched atop tall cliffs, overlooking the bluest ocean and is one of the most photogenic and popular sites among tourists. Tulum has some of the most instagram worthy locations. Come through our BBQ on the beach at Mistico beach club, located at the Posada Lamar hotel. You can’t beat, chilling on the beach listening to the best in hip hop, rnb and reggae while sipping on passionfruit margaritas and eating grilled lobster. What a way to spend the day! Last but definitely not least, be sure to check out Afrobeats & Bubbles unlimited brunch every other Sunday at Loco Tulum! You wanna talk about a good time. This brunch is a definite highlight to anyone’s stay while in Tulum! Hmm… Let’s see! There’s so much to see and do in Tulum that I wouldn’t want you to try to fit everything in at once. My only word of advice is to come with a chill vibe and have fun. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a personal shout out to everyone who has and continues to support Black In Tulum. This is a movement and there would be no us without you all! Thank you to the B.I.T crew! Kendrick of Lighthouse Media, thank you for rocking with B.I.T for as long as you have! Kel The DJ, thank you for keeping the B.I.T events rocking! Kia M. thank you for keeping the Facebook group organized and growing! Kissha from social khaos, thank you for making sure the back end flows effortlessly. You all are amazing!!

Website: www.blackintulum.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/blackintulum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlackInTulum

Other: Personal IG: www.instagram.com/iamnubiayounge

Image Credits
Lighthouse Media Mondesire Frames