Moving to a new country can stimulate personal development and emotional growth especially for artists looking for creative inspiration. For Black Americans, however, this move can present a special set of challenges that stem from a long history of institutionalized racism, discrimination and oppression. We know, however, from the stories of our ancestors, that it can be worth it.

If living abroad is something youre considering as a Black creative, its worth examining why some of our revered creatives up and left and what it did for their spirits and their craft.

During the pandemic, the term Blaxit began to infiltrate our feeds and group texts its a term that describes the sometimes-revolutionary act of Black Americans leaving their home countries to live, work, or study abroad. Blaxit is often seen as a response to the systemic racism, discrimination and lack of opportunities faced by Black people in their home countries. By leaving, many of us hope to find better economic and social conditions and escape the constant threat of racial violence.

The concept isnt new, of course. Black people have been leaving their home countries for centuries in search of a better life. During the 20th century, the Great Migration saw millions of Black people leave the rural South of the United States for cities in the North and West in search of better economic opportunities. And more recently, Black people from around the world have been moving to various places abroad, either to escape discrimination and racism in the U.S. or to take advantage of economic opportunities and simply a more fruitful quality of life.

As a Black American woman who has lived in Mexico, as well as countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, I have found that I share a great deal with many of my foremothers and forefathers who conceptualized and crafted some of their greatest works abroad. In 2015, when I moved to Egypt at the age of 28, I was amazed to find out that Dr. Maya Angelou had not only lived in Cairo many moons prior to my arrival but was an editor at a newspaper there. During my time there, I often sought to retrace steps she took both literally and in her writing career.

Similar to Angelou, many Black creatives found themselves creating and thriving abroad. To name a few: James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, Audre Lorde and Paul Robeson. I find that, similar to the experiences of my creative ancestors, living abroad allowed me to expand how I saw the world and related to other humans.

I got my news directly from the sources. I learned languages. I sat and ate (a sacred act for so many cultures) with communities very different from mine. And as a result, I began writing about my journey as a way to resist the myth that Black excellence can only be measured by financial wealth or which fancy job you have. Were allowed to find joy in wandering by ourselves, collecting experiences and finding new parts of ourselves far away from home.