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Hi there! We’re Dustin and Noami

For a long time we felt like we were living a life that wasn’t our own – chasing after someone else’s idea of success and happiness, consuming too much and not living enough. So we made a radical shift. We downsized our possessions and set out to pursue a life of simplicity & travel. We’re eco-vanlifers & digital nomads, living on the road since 2016. We’re here to share with you everything we’ve learned along the way.

What's inside

Digital Nomadism

Dreaming of traveling the world, but still need to pay the bills? Our Digital Nomad Series will give you the tips, advice, inspiration and resources to help you build a sustainable income on the road.

Recent Posts

37 Gift Ideas Eco-Conscious Nomads Will Love in 2021

November 17, 2020 No Comments

The holidays are upon us. And as every vanlifer can attest, space in the van is always a premium. So if you’ve got an environmentally

Essential Digital Nomad Gear For The Overland Traveler

October 28, 2020 1 Comment

2020 can be called a lot of things, and most of us will be happy when it can be called “over.” But with everything this

How To Reduce Amazon Packaging and Minimize Plastic Waste in 2020

October 28, 2020 3 Comments

Currently, there is only one way to request reduced packaging from Amazon. Follow the steps below to tell Amazon to minimize packaging on your future orders.

How to Find Remote Jobs & Freelance Gigs – A Digital Nomad Resource

August 25, 2020 No Comments

Noami and I have been traveling full time since 2016. When we tell folks that we’re full-time nomads, they usually say something like: “what do

DIGITAL NOMADISM 101:
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BECOMING AN OVERLAND DIGITAL NOMAD

July 31, 2020 No Comments

Most, if not all articles on digital nomadism focus on the international traveler (globetrotter). Though what we’ve shared here can be applied to ALL manner

Noami & Dustin sit side by side on a log sharing a meal around a campfire. A tent is setup just in view.

11 Tips for an Eco Friendly Camping Season

July 24, 2020 No Comments

Sustainable Camping Habits For the Outdoors It’s cold outside friends! But spring is right around the corner. And this is shaping up to be a

Follow our journey on instagram @irietoaurora

There she was, big brown eyes, tall pointy ears, e

Vanlife feels so new this time around, so novel. I

Vanlife feels so new this time around, so novel. I’ve been here before, but so much has changed.

A few days ago we celebrated our ‘vanniversary’. Five years living on the road. Five years navigating a space that has often been exclusive and guilty of misrepresentation.

The vanlife community has been a sanctuary for me when I’ve found myself at a crossroads. But it’s also been a space where I’ve been marginalized and tokenized. We as a community have created barriers to entry for people who don’t fit the white, straight, cis, able-bodied narrative that outdoor and travel media outlets have gobbled up and perpetuated.

But the times they are a-changin’

Never before have so many Black and Brown people been represented in vanlife. It’s a dream come true! I’m navigating the intersections with people who look like me, who can relate to my experiences, to my stories and aspirations.

We are in a unique but tenuous position as a community. Black and Brown people on the road and in the outdoors are still subject to violence, policing, gatekeeping, tokenization, racism and discrimination.

There is a shift happening, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t approach with guarded optimism. The world is reopening. The days of travel are returning. Will we revert back to “normal?”

Or, will we continue calling awareness to our privileges? Will we continue unlearning the eurocentric ideals that uphold painful legacies of white supremacy on stolen lands?

The responsibility cannot fall solely on one person or one group or organization. This is a collective effort. Remember, being welcoming without intentional inclusion is performative. And diversity, equity and inclusion must be intersectional.

There is no map for where we’re going. Though, together we can shift the narrative and build a community that is safe for everyone.

If you’re a vanlifer, road traveler, or outdoorist I implore you to take to Diversify Vanlife Road Travel & Outdoor Pledge.

Swipe to commit
———>>>

📍Southern Pauite Land

I’M A CHILD OF THE SUN ☀️ Watch me get this

I’M A CHILD OF THE SUN ☀️

Watch me get this double chocolate melanin glow up✨💁🏽‍♀️
—
Lil Monday nugget for you BBs - Give Yourself Credit.

I’ve always struggled with giving myself credit - as an artist, a writer, a leader.

As Black women, these limiting beliefs are imposed on us, that we’re undeserving. Which is why we need to give ourselves credit for our accomplishments. When we articulate it - when we speak it out loud - we take our power back.

So find me out here hyping my damn self up, juggling blessings, hydrating, basking in the sunshine, and taking care of ME.

Thanks for reading. Bye 👋🏾😘

Swipe for #BlackJoy >>>
#melaninpoppin

📍Southern Paiute land

ANNOUNCEMENT🗣 I’m not gonna lie, it feels go

BACK IN THE VAN 🚐, BACK ON THE ROAD 🛣, BACK

BACK IN THE VAN 🚐, BACK ON THE ROAD 🛣, BACK ON INSTA 📲

I’m back! But it’s not "back to normal."

It’s been almost a month since my last post. I wish I could say that in this time away I found the answers. I wish I could say that I’m restored, healed, less angry.

But the truth is, I’m tired.

Winter brought a sense of security in a physical space. But the slower pace heralded an unexpected shift, a purging of sorts, where everything felt out of focus, out of body.

At times I felt so fragile, like would shatter into pieces.

But the good thing is, I didn’t. I’m still here, doing the work. Being as present as I can for all the growth, transitions and change. Ebbing and flowing, realigning, embracing all of it.

Is there freedom through purging? I hope so.

—
A few days ago we moved back into the van. I’m writing this from a beach on a river on the land of the Hualapai, Southern Paiute & Mojave peoples.

I feel a deep sense of gratitude in this moment.

To be exposed to the elements, watching the wind scatter the water. I think this is what I love most about vanlife. It brings about a sense of connectedness that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else.

On a lighter note, I’ve been working my butt off y’all. Holy shit, I’m writing a book 📚

There’s a lot ahead for me this year. This time away was tough, but it gave me the space to recommit to a lot of things, including my advocacy.

Are you following @diversify.vanlife? My team & I have big things on the horizon.

I’m looking forward to sharing more of what I have going on in the coming days, weeks, months. Stay tuned…

But enough about me. How are y’all doing? Are you new here? Introduce yourself 🤝👇🏾

This morning I woke up and felt immense gratitude

This morning I woke up and felt immense gratitude and peace in my heart as I looked over at you sleeping beside me. You are not just the man I love, but the person I can be free with. Seven years of marriage — 10 years, 6 months, and 14 days on this love boat, but who’s counting. And every fleeting moment with you brings me enough joy to last a lifetime.

It’s interesting to think only 54 years ago our marriage would have been illegal. Though the racial reckoning of this past year has challenged us to navigate our relationship differently. At times it’s felt like it’s us against the world. But there’s no one else I’d rather have by my side.

On this International Women’s Day I’m honoring the legacy of Mildred Loving - a Black trailblazer who paved the way for this interracial couple to be together.

What a trip it’s been! Granted it’s not perfect. We get on each other’s nerves, we fight, we need space. I’m a fiery West Indian woman. What can I say?!

But one of the most important things I’ve learned these 7 years is this - to have the kind of relationship we want, it must be built through cultivating a rich sense of self-worth, purpose, & self-love. Another thing, marry someone who makes you laugh and it’ll be the best decision you’ll ever make.

I’m grateful for this sweet guy. You support me in spite of my feistiness, stand up against injustice and fight for me and my people. But most of all, I’m incredibly blessed to have you as my biggest ally and greatest supporter.

Happy anniversary my love ♥️

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