It takes far more than consuming mainstream media to understand the depth and breadth of the African diaspora. Jay Cameron aims to bring people to the real and present Africa to bridge the gap between fiction and reality with his travel company Maximum Impact.

“You know the things that we’ve been told in the States about Africa. If you go it’s all these bad things: everybody is sick, dying, homeless, poverty stricken, just in need of us to come and help rescue them,” Cameron said.

Cameron’s inspiration to correct these biased conceptions of Africa came from his own trip to Ghana in 2018. His reality check that so conflicted with these false mainstream narratives became the foundation for his next professional and enlightening endeavor.

Planning a visit to Ghana? Check out this e-tour.

Maximum Impact has arranged and carried out many group trips to Africa, particularly Ghana, markedly hosting either three generations or over 40 travelers at once. The journeys were organized to bring people close to the history and modern living of Ghanaians as comfortably as possible through excursions to museums, landmarks and various businesses.

Founded in 2019, Maximum Impact has gone from bringing small groups to Ghana to now hosting private and group trips to destinations such as Egypt, South Africa, Tanzania and Zanzibar, Brazil, Morocco, Panama and Columbia. Every planned itinerary is first practiced by employees of Maximum Impact before clients are taken through the adventure. 

Even during the early times of post-pandemic life, Cameron was able to find people who wanted to travel and his work was noticed.

“A lot of travel companies were watching what I was doing. They’re watching these adventures, they’re listening to these testimonials, they’re seeing the transformation in people,” Cameron said. 

Read about seven motherland trips to Africa here. 

Seeing and experiencing the worlds and lives of others is vital to understand the truth of how countries outside of your domestic land thrive in the modern day. Cameron knows the value of this truth and has provided a way for others to learn the same.

Watch the full interview here or on YouTube at detour_xp and listen to how Cameron plans to take more travelers to the African diaspora locations in Europe and the United States. 

Campbell Hamai is a journalist and associate producer with DETOUR through the Meredith-McClatchy Scholarship sponsored by the University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri. She is passionate about elevating the work and voices of POC authors and creators. Hamai can be reached through email at campbellhamai@detourxp.com. 

Publisher’s Studio is filmed in the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri. The show is a collaboration between DETOUR and the Missouri School of Journalism. Publisher’s Studio is hosted and executive produced by Ron Stodghill, produced and directed by Travis McMillen and produced by Campbell Hamai. 

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