One of the most meaningful topics I bring to the stage as a keynote speaker on travel and culture is the importance of cultural connection and global citizenship. Traveling to every country in the world has given me a deep understanding of empathy, respect, and responsibility across borders.
In today’s world, never before have we had such an extraordinary opportunity to connect with people from every corner of the globe. These connections matter because they build compassion and peace, and they also reveal to us about ourselves.
In 2022, I had the honor of speaking at the inaugural Extraordinary Travel Festival in Yerevan, Armenia. My talk, Finding Your Travel Superpower, invited audiences to reflect on how they connect authentically with people they meet along the road.
Some travelers connect through language or accents. Others lean on sports, music, or art as bridges across cultures. My own “travel superpower” is the ability to blend in: slipping into the rhythm of a place by donning local dress, learning the everyday tasks of women in the community, and engaging in dance and movement. Over the years, this chameleon-like ability has opened doors and hearts, allowing me to form bonds that transcend words.
A Lesson from the Jaguar People
One of the most profound stories I share, both in my speaking and in my upcoming travel memoir, The World Is My Mirror (launching November 1, 2025), comes from my time with the Matsés people of the Peruvian Amazon.
Known as the “Jaguar People” for their whisker-like facial tattoos and jaguar-inspired body markings, the Matsés were isolated until their first documented contact with the outside world in 1969. When I visited, I was welcomed into the home of a Matsés family who had preserved much of their culture despite globalization. I watched their daily routines, learned about their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants, and joined in the tasks that sustain their way of life.
That connection was more than cultural exchange. It was a mirror, reflecting back to me the universality of family, resilience, and the human desire for continuity. This story is told in one of the most moving chapters of The World Is My Mirror, and I bring it to life in my talks on global citizenship, indigenous connection, and cultural empathy.
READ MORE: Welcome to My New Chapter: Introducing the Memoir, the Mission, and the Movement
Why Travel Matters
Why do we travel? Beyond sightseeing, travel is about relationships, growth, and engagement. It is a chance to learn new skills, discover new perspectives, and move closer to our own humanity. Each authentic cultural connection teaches us compassion, dissolves prejudice, and builds bridges across divides.
In my talks, I encourage audiences to search for their own travel superpower—the unique way they can engage and connect with others. Whether through language, music, food, sports, or art, we all have the ability to reach across cultures and discover common ground. When we do, our shared humanity emerges.
Speaking to Inspire Global Citizenship
As a motivational speaker on cultural diversity and global connection, I bring these stories to conferences, universities, and events around the world. My talks on cultural connection, women’s empowerment through travel, and education as a passport to opportunity invite people to see travel as more than movement across geography. It is movement toward empathy, understanding, and personal growth.
As I share in The World Is My Mirror, each journey has shown me that the world reflects back who we are and who we might become. The deeper we connect with others, the more fully we connect with ourselves.
