The Washington Post Creative Group and Marriott Bonvoy unveil a new generation of travel storytellers

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The Washington Post Creative Group and Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott International’s award-winning travel program and marketplace, today unveiled three storytellers selected as part of a strategic search for underrepresented travelers to explore generative travel trends.

The storytellers —Charlotte Simpson, Jaylyn Gough and Jeff Jenkins — will each create an interactive travel story that will be published by The Washington Post Creative Group, exploring a travel trend that benefits local communities, economies and the environment.

Charlotte Simpson, who goes by “Traveling Black Widow,” has embraced solo travel after the passing of her late husband. She has connected with an extraordinary array of new people and places as she continues documenting her upbeat, down-to-earth travel with a mission of proving to others that they too can travel alone. Simpson will spend time in Buffalo, New York, to tell the story of the city’s regeneration not only through her experiences, but the locals she connects with. The story will be told through immersive audio and photography as well as archival shots of Buffalo landmarks juxtaposed with contemporary images.

Jaylyn Gough, a member of the Navajo nation, grew up on a reservation in New Mexico. In 2017, she founded Native Womens Wilderness, driven by rarely seeing other Native women enjoying the outdoors. Gough will return to Gallup, New Mexico, and the Native lands that surround the city. Using photography, 360-degree video and photogrammetry, she’ll document her homecoming, part of her ongoing journey to strengthen her connection to her heritage, as well as showing how to visit public lands with respect for their meaning in Native cultures.

Jeff Jenkins, founder of the online community Chubby Diaries, is a passionate advocate for plus-size travelers. Jenkins has made it his mission to “show chubby people that any adventure is within their reach,” inspiring his community to get their adrenaline pumping with adventure travel trips. He will visit the Florida Keys, where a group of local conservationists will show him how citizen divers can help regenerate the region’s dying coral reefs, which offer important protection not just to marine life, but also the coastal communities of the Keys.

“With hundreds of submissions, it was no easy choice, but we’re thrilled to unveil the three storytellers we felt best represent this new generation of travel,” said Scott Weisenthal, head of The Washington Post Creative Group. “These travelers align with The Washington Post’s inclusive, accessible travel ethos and Marriott Bonvoy’s dedication to regenerative travel. They offer unique perspectives to a space that has been largely homogenous until now and we look forward to amplifying their voices to the more than 78 million readers nationwide who come to our site each month.”

The selected travelers will work under the guidance of a dedicated branded content editor and seasoned journalist. Marriott Bonvoy will enable the travel journey, while the Washington Post Creative Group will provide access to immersive technologies and a team of talented videographers, producers and interactive designers who will help them tell their stories. Later this fall, the storytellers will also be featured in “TripTok,” a special takeover of The Washington Post’s Webby award-winning TikTok channel that reaches nearly one million followers.

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