Gone are the days we ask for permission. 2021 Entrepreneurs blaze their own trail.

FlightsInStilettos® focused on empowerment from the beginning. The way in which we show up is important, and to CEO Kinyatta E. Gray, that meant even in the airport. FlightsInStilettos® is a way of life; it is a feeling, and very much a verb… it’s a thing to do, but also a movement.

Gray will quickly recount her numerous travels and the gaps she saw when traveling as it pertains to the lack of images of people of color. Now, with two, official, Glam Girl Beach towel collections under her belt, several limited editions and reboots; Gray puts an end to the lack of diversity in travel imagery.

Depicting lives of travel, wonder and excursion is essential. The dream to see and do more is inspiring, even for those who may not have access. To understand that there is a beautiful world out there, that is attainable is a powerful understanding. Gray’s life has become more than simply one of a Beach Towel Designer or Celebrity Travel Influencer. The natural shift towards advocacy and Travel Diversity simply took root.

January 2021 ushered in yet another lane to spearhead; a luxury travel and style publication pushing diversity, FlightsInStilettos Magazine.

Gray says, “Our goal with FlightsInStilettos magazine is to inspire readers to put their best selves forward when traveling. As we showcase luxury travel destinations, travel-inspired fashion, black travel brands, beauty tips, and lifestyle, we are confident that this magazine will instantly become your preferred resource for all things luxury and travel for the culture.”

Putting everything in perspective, a travel publication did not seem so far fetched; Gray is a five-time published author and currently instructs aspiring authors to write their life through a series of digital products and online courses. The published works had already been in motion. Now, expanding her empire to a publishing house, that’s the definition of leveling up! What began as a strategic push from MontagePR as an additional lane to generate revenue for the brand, quickly ignited into what Gray describes as “energy to curate a luxury travel magazine for the culture.”

The inaugural issue showcases bold and vivid images of Black travel. Uniting travel influencers worldwide, FlightsInStilettos magazine featured entrepreneurs across various industries, with one goal in mind, changing the narrative! Released at the top of the year, readers (if they haven’t already) have the opportunity to experience travel during a pandemic, through the lense of essentials workers and disruptors.

Othman Said Othman; for example, a Zanzibar tour guide reassures travelers that Zanzibar is 100 percent safe to travel, and Black Travel Gram discusses their commitment to keeping Black travelers safe and informed. Meisha Amia is building community and motivating nurses to aspire towards a life of entrepreneurship, while Rosetter S. Tahnson left her role at Emirates at the top of her career to return to Accra-Ghana to pursue entrepreneurship. The pivot looked completely different for each of us; however, there is life after the pandemic, and travel included.

Gray says, “FlightsInStilettos Magazine will give its readers alluring visuals and unique content to help influence their thoughts and feelings about travel. What’s especially impressive is that FlightsInStilettos Magazine aims to curate travel experiences, products, and fashion for and about the culture, unlike other major travel publications.”

Expanding her “portfolio in the travel space” was certainly accomplished; however, to Gray the long-lasting effort is what continues… creating “digital content to support my position that representation matters.”

Gray says,

I desire to create a movement via FlightsInStilettos Magazine where travelers are inspired to put their best selves forward while traveling and are encouraged to visualize themselves luxuriating and including leisure travel in their lives as another element of self-care. I want the readers to be informed about a wide range of travel destinations that are inclusive and welcoming to travelers of diverse backgrounds.

The first, but surely not the last, readers can expect continued coverage of “destinations, travel-inspired fashion, diverse travel brands, beauty tips, and lifestyle.” Gray is “confident that this magazine will instantly become your preferred resource for all things luxury and travel for the culture.”

Grab the latest copy here.