Raising Free Black Children in a World That Says Shrink

What does it mean to raise children who believe the world belongs to them? Not in a surface-level, hashtag sort of way—but in a way that lives in their bones?

That’s the question I sat with after my conversation with Courtney Orgias of @o.family.adventures. Her words didn’t just resonate—they echoed. Because what she’s doing—what her family is modeling—is nothing short of radical.

Courtney Orgias together with her husband Justin and their children, Xavier and Whitley

Courtney and her husband didn’t just plan family vacations. They sold their house. Took their remote jobs. Packed up their toddler and 10-week-old baby. And they left—not because they were running, but because they were ready to build something freer. Something fuller. Something more honest.

For many Black families, the world has never felt safe. And that inherited fear often becomes our compass. It tells us to stay close. Stay quiet. Stay “safe.” But safety, as Courtney so powerfully shared, can sometimes be just another word for limitation.

What if, instead, we centered belonging?

Courtney said something that stayed with me:

“I don’t want to be the mom trying to protect my kids but accidentally teaching them the world isn’t theirs to explore.”

That’s the crux. So often, in the name of love and caution, we pass down fear. We shrink our worlds so our kids won’t get hurt. But in doing that, we can unintentionally teach them that the world is off-limits to them. That freedom is for someone else.

Courtney’s family is choosing differently. They’re not just exploring—they’re immersing. Not just checking boxes—they’re slowing down. They’ve chosen a life where language barriers, cultural differences, and unfamiliar foods aren’t seen as obstacles, but as invitations. Invitations into a fuller humanity—for themselves and their children.

And perhaps the most beautiful part? They’re building legacy in real time. In street markets. In new friendships. In the act of saying “yes” to curiosity, even when it’s inconvenient.

They didn’t hit the lottery. They didn’t wait until everything was perfect. They simply chose to move. With intention. With courage. With babies and backpacks and dreams in hand.

There’s something sacred about that.

So here’s the question Courtney leaves us with:

What are we really protecting our children from? And what if the bigger danger is raising them to play small in a world they were born to explore?

This isn’t just about travel. It’s about transformation. About expanding what’s possible—not only for our kids, but for ourselves.

Because the truth is, when we choose freedom for our families, we’re not just rewriting our own stories.

We’re rewriting history.