The Mom Trotter

Karen “Kay” Akpan and her family of three are on an American adventure. Living on the road and working from their RV, Kay and her family have traveled to 35 states over the last 5 years and documented it all on her blog, The Mom Trotter. “I started The Mom Trotter,” Karen recalls, “in order to share budget travel tips, connect with other families who wanted to travel with kids, and increase the representation of Black families traveling.” The Mom Trotter features articles written by Kay on homeschooling, traveling with children, and insider tips like how to find $20 tickets to London.

With her ad revenue earnings, Kay has been able to hire a team that allows her to focus on creating content and engaging with her readers. As a content creator and small business owner, Kay takes pride in the impact she’s had on the tourism space. “I’m able to highlight Black families in places where they normally aren’t featured,” she says, “and I can show parents that your adventure can continue even with kids or on a budget.”

Kay has even extended The Mom Trotter mission beyond her blog and into her organization, Black Kids Do Travel, which she started with her six-year-old son Aiden. “We started Black Kids Do Travel to help increase representation of Black families in travel media,” she explains, “and to create a safe space for families to discuss the challenges they face traveling with children of color. It’s become a strong, beautiful community of over 27,000 families and a trusted resource that families can turn to when they have travel questions or concerns.”

As Kay and her family continue their journey, she’s excited to double down on The Mom Trotter blog. “My blog is the best of both worlds from a business standpoint: it’s an excellent way to share information, but it also enables me to sustainably earn an income. I know the more I create good, quality content, the more I can increase my readership, and the more ad revenue I’ll earn. I’m excited for what's to come and to continue helping families travel.”