There’s a new tour experience created with Black women in mind, and it’s all about forming meaningful connections while viewing art murals throughout the city of Atlanta. Black Girl Magic Tours were founded by Dr. Tarika Sullivan, and it initially began as artistic adventures around the city with her friends.
“I loved to travel, and I loved murals and art. So, when I would see these things in different cities I traveled to, I went, ‘Atlanta has all of this,’” Dr. Sullivan told ESSENCE in an interview. “When my friends would come from out of town to visit, they would be like, ‘Tarika, what is there to do in the city outside of partying?’ I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m going to show you these murals and I’m going to just tell you what they mean to me and how beautiful they are.’ I would do a little research on the artist, and it became a thing for me to show my friends these murals.”
In 2020, the guided tours were expanded to being available for anyone in Atlanta to experience. After signing up, participants begin with a “Black Girltini,” where refreshments are provided and a warm welcome is given through a toast, which allows attendees to become acquainted with each other. A luxury Sprinter van transports the group to the designated mural locations, which opens up conversations about the artworks and sheds light on the artist behind them.
As the reviews rolled in, Dr. Sullivan noticed how most tour goers emphasized how joyful it was to connect with other Black women. “It’s like, ‘Oh my god! This is an opportunity to connect and develop sisterhood and to build my network. It’s just a beautiful space to celebrate myself,” she said, referring to the nature of the reviews received.
The attendees bond over what truly matters with women who look like them. There’s introspective conversations about self-care, life experiences, and vulnerable topics that the women feel comfortable speaking about due to the safe space that has been cultivated.
Viewing the art murals is one enticing aspect of the tour, but the everlasting connections formed with other Black women is what really generates Black Girl Magic and all of its illumination.
The next tour is scheduled for November 20th. To learn more about how to sign up, please visit blackgirlmagictours.com.
