Black Rebel Nomads was created in August 2022, by Alyssa Bigbee and Gaye Bigbee but the story of our creation comes long before our incorporation. Gaye Bigbee knew the importance of travel and decided to raise her child, Alyssa, with opportunities for travel to help cultivate her world view. She began by taking her on domestic trips then worked to international destinations like Jamaica. When Alyssa turned 15, she took her first international trip independently with Girl Scouts of America to Costa Rica, there she hiked through the rainforest and stayed with host families learning about the culture. When she returned she had gained an understanding of not only traveling but cultural exchange. The mother and daughter duo continued their tradition of traveling. Each time upon returning, Alyssa would present traditions and customs learned to her Dance students to encourage them to travel. It was during this time, Alyssa learned that travel wasn’t accessible for some of her students. After discussing some of the barriers of travel with her mother, they decided to invite a former student, Dorien Harris, on one of their travel adventures to Manila, Philippines.
To make the trip more filling, the travel would occur for one month. Thus allowing to not only see sights but to also engage with the native filipinos and exchange traditions. They met roller skaters and taught “Skate Dance”. They attended dance classes from Filipino dancers. They even taught neighborhood kids some house and jersey club dances. During a moment of reflection, Dorien began to express how this trip had changed his life and improved his mental health as a student creative. He felt inspired to create new projects and develop his own space for creatives. After spending a month in the Philippines, Alyssa was able to see how beneficial long-term travel was for student artists but there wasn’t many opportunities. Together, she and her mother created Black Rebel Nomads making Dorien, the first Rebel Nomad.
That following year they launched their first Nomad application and received 10 applications from a variety of artistic disciplines from students. They selected a new student studying film named Octavia to travel to Thailand where they spent a month in Bangkok & Phuket. Because of existing barriers to travel including finances, the organization covered their flights and board. During this time, they connected with other creatives based in Thailand and Nomads from the Philippine’s. In September of 2023, the organization achieved 501c (3) status and set out to achieve our mission as we prepare for 2024 journey to Indonesia.
Our Board
Black Rebel Nomads is proud to have a diverse board with members of different cultural and professional backgrounds. Each member offers a unique experience that helps us further our mission.
Alyssa Bigbee (Founder, Executive Director, and Board President)
Alyssa is one of the Founders and Executive Director of BRN. She has been passionate about youth development since she was a young girl. She has taught at dozens of dance studios in the Philadelphia area and also has experience as a coach for both cheerleading and majorette. Alyssa was an all-star cheerleader with Tri-state All Stars and trained at Kehler’s Gymnastics where she also worked as a counselor and instructor. She also trained at Delco Gymnastics with her cheerleading team. When she was 16 years old, she was hired to oversee campers and provide tumbling lessons. When she began working with afterschool programs years later, she began to introduce tumbling and acrobatics to the children which would soon become a mission. After realizing how little of a presence there was for Black children in these classes she strived to create a center where they could access classes and also be given a safe space to learn at their own pace.
Gaye Bigbee (Founder & Board Secretary)
Gaye Bigbee is a Technology Trainer for Lawyer and Legal Staff from Philadelphia, PA. She has had a love for travel since traveling extensively for work. She has always supported travel programs for her daughter through American Music Abroad, Girl Scouts Destination and Student Ambassadors. She holds a A.S. in Information Systems from Philadelphia Community College, studied Information Systems with a minor in Programming at Drexel University and received numerous Technology Certifications from Microsoft. Gaye founded the Black Rebel Nomads to help African American students studying the Arts to help bridge friendships in other countries while learning their craft from other cultures.
Ebony Dyson (Board Vice President)
Ebony Dyson is from Philadelphia, PA. She received her undergraduate degree from South Carolina State University majoring in Biology with a Chemistry minor where she was also a member and captain of the Pom Dance Squad. She later received a graduate degree from Cleveland State University with a Masters in Secondary Education. An experienced Teacher-Scientist skilled in laboratory techniques, youth development, public speaking, teacher training, and program development. She is passionate about making sure black girls have a voice in the classroom as well as the lab space too. She believes representation matters and paving a way for younger black girls is essential in their development and progression in the world we live in today. In her spare time she enjoys dancing, journaling, community service, planning events and coaching cheerleading. Ebony brings her expertise in dance and education to ensure Black Rebel Nomads is an enriching experience.
Marquez Gaines (Board Member)
Marquez Gaines is an Entertainment Manager based in Atlanta, GA & Los Angeles, CA. He has worked in the music entertainment for over 25 years helping artist to manage their careers. Marquez has a passion for traveling and helping young artist develop their careers. He brings his expertise in raising capital and mentoring young artist.
Sami Schilf (Board Member)
Sami Schilf is an arts administrator, researcher, and multidisciplinary artist from San Francisco, CA. Since 2010, she has collaborated with arts and cultural organizations, academic institutions, researchers, and NGOs to champion the development, dissemination, and evaluation of community-based initiatives at the intersection of the arts and public health. Sami holds a B.A. in Psychology and Holistic Health from San Francisco State, studied Digital Media Communications at UC Berkeley, and has a decade of experience leading evaluative research and communications strategy at UC San Francisco. In 2021, Sami founded City Grants, a grant-writing agency dedicated to empowering BIPOC artists to access crucial funding for creative pursuits.
Desmond Hazel (Board Member)
Desmond Hazel is a leader and innovator in the cyber-security field. For years, Desmond has worked with Fortune 50 companies developing security policies, conducting audits, and consulting security practices within various Information Technology (IT) industries. Currently, he is a cyber security professional in the Atlanta area who has obtained his Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) certifications. He is also an active volunteer and mentor in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) community on a secondary and higher education level attending career fairs, weekend workshops, and programs. He has served as the Vice Chair for the National Society of Black Engineers Atlanta Professionals chapter. He is passionate about all things travel, fashion and social. Throughout his life, he has eluded to becoming a product of his environment and embraced resilience to be successful. Now, his main passion is helping others do the same.
Dorien Harris (BRN Ambassador)
Dorien Harris is a community-driven storyteller who collaborates with other young creatives to build a community for developing artists in the City of Philadelphia. He’s continually organizing events and opportunities to assist young aspiring artists in gaining professional experience in production through creative exploration and mentorship. He is a freelance photographer/videographer and content creator for several businesses. After receiving his Associate Degree from Community College of Philadelphia he decided to further his education studying Film & Media Arts at Temple University. Dorien was our first nomad and continues to serve as an ambassador assisting with applicant recruitment and serving as a guide for incoming Nomads.