Ebony Walden is taking the global Black experience into her own hands — and onto the screen. The Richmond-based traveler, storyteller and equity consultant is the creator and host of “Black Beyond Borders,” a new four-part docuseries that premieres Nov. 5 on YouTube. 

Shot with little more than a vlogging camera, an iPhone and a vision, Walden’s project is an intimate journey through West Africa — a mashup of history, rhythm, food and art seen through her lens. 

“‘Black Beyond Borders’ is my love letter to the diaspora — a way to inspire others to connect, travel and tell their own stories,” Walden said. 

The series was born from Walden’s six-week remote-work stay in Dakar, Senegal, in 2024. Season one, filmed on location in Senegal and Cape Verde, drops viewers into the heart of Dakar’s bustling markets, art galleries and community tables. Walden’s storytelling merges raw travel footage with reflections on history, belonging and identity. 

Across four episodes, Walden moves through experiences that blend history and present-day culture. In “The Journey Begins,” she revisits Gorée Island’s Door of No Return — a haunting symbol of enslavement — before heading out on the open road. “Birthday & Biennale” finds her celebrating her 44th birthday amid the creative explosion of Senegal’s Contemporary African Art Festival. She balances remote work and local meals in Dakar before escaping to Sal, Cape Verde, for rest and reflection in “Work, Play & Cape Verde.” The season closes with “Cultural Convergence,” as Virginia friends visit Dakar and Walden explores the Afrikana Film Festival. 

“This isn’t just entertainment — it’s cultural engagement, diaspora connection and inspiration for future generations to explore their heritage with pride and curiosity,” she said. 

The project marks a new creative chapter for Walden, who previously created and edited the Richmond Racial Equity Essays, a 2021 collaborative project that amplified more than 50 local voices on racial justice. She has traveled to more than 45 countries and all 50 U.S. states. Her forthcoming memoir, “Where I Am From: A Poetic Journey Across Five Continents,” is slated for release in September through She Writes Press.