Travel with Zoe vs IShowSpeed: Selective Outrage, Cultural Access, and the Economics of who gets to represent Us

EDITOR: There is something deeply unsettling about watching people build entire platforms, incomes, and identities off Caribbean hospitality only to turn around and police who else gets to engage with the region.

That contradiction is exactly what is playing out in the recent unnecessary critique from Travelwithzoe.org regarding IShowSpeed.

Let’s be clear. The Caribbean has always been a site of extraction historically, economically, and culturally. Today, that extraction often shows up in softer forms such as tourism, content creation, and cultural immersion branding. Influencers arrive, are welcomed with warmth, access, and generosity, and then position themselves as authorities on the very spaces they are guests in.

So when that same access suddenly becomes conditional, when a Black American man shows up and is framed as disruptive or inappropriate, it raises a necessary question. Who is allowed to take up space in Black regions, and under what terms?

Because the issue here is not behaviour alone. If it were, the standard would be consistent.

Creators like Wode Maya have long travelled across the African diaspora, documenting culture, amplifying local economies, and engaging communities with enthusiasm and respect. Caribbean creators like Adventures From Elle do the same. Their work is often celebrated, and rightfully so.

But when iShowSpeed enters these spaces, suddenly the tone shifts. The scrutiny sharpens. The tolerance narrows. What we are left with looks like selective outrage that aligns uncomfortably with longstanding racial hierarchies.

As someone with a background in Human Capital Management, DEI research, and cultural programming, I do not view this in isolation. This is a textbook case of gatekeeping within access economies where proximity to culture becomes currency, and certain identities are granted more grace, legitimacy, and authority than others.

The Caribbean does not need saving. It does not need to be filtered through a singular, curated lens to be acceptable to the world. What it does need is equitable representation, especially from those within the diaspora who are actively trying to bridge gaps. That is where this conversation matters because whether people want to admit it or not, figures like iShowSpeed are doing something impactful. They are introducing younger, global audiences, many of whom are Black, to regions they may have never considered visiting, learning about, or connecting with. That has real implications for tourism, cultural exchange, and economic visibility.

Caribbean children, especially Black Caribbean children, see themselves in that energy. They do not see a threat. They see relatability, curiosity, and boldness.

In a world where representation has long been filtered, that matters. So the real question becomes what are we modelling?

If the message is that you can benefit from our culture, date within our communities, eat our food, build your brand on our landscapes, but draw the line when Black men show up loudly and unapologetically, then we have a deeper issue than one influencer disagreement.

That is not cultural respect. That is conditional acceptance.

Caribbean people, especially those of us who understand both the history and the economics of our region, see it clearly.

You do not get to rewrite the rules of engagement once you have already benefited from the welcome.

Staying in your lane is not about exclusion. It is about accountability.

Because if you can profit from proximity to our culture, you should also respect the full range of voices within it, even the ones that do not move quietly.

Shanice Duncan
Caribbean HR and Cultural Strategist;
Daughter of parents from Union Island and Grenada living in
Brooklyn, NY