Building Community & Visibility:
A Conversation with Black in Portugal
Are you planning a trip to Portugal to support Black-owned businesses or attend community events? Black in Portugal has you covered with curated resources to help you connect, explore, and celebrate Black culture.
By Joy Grant
Photos provided by Heather Courtney
In recent years, Portugal has become an increasingly popular destination for Black travelers. However, many Black residents have had difficulty connecting with a larger community. Enter Black in Portugal, an organization dedicated to fostering connection, supporting Black-owned businesses, and increasing visibility for Black entrepreneurs and creatives in Portugal. Along with community-building efforts, they offer a Black business directory to help travelers and locals alike discover and support Black-owned establishments across the country. We spoke with its founder, Heather Courtney, about the community’s origins and the impact of their work.
What inspired the creation of Black in Portugal, and how has the organization evolved since its inception?
Before moving to Portugal, I was part of a Facebook group called Black to Portugal, but nothing was really going on, and the founder never actually made the move to Portugal. I thought back to my experience in Mérida, Mexico, where the Black community was tight-knit, we showed up for each other, and we had people we could depend on. I wanted that same support in Portugal, somewhere I could thrive, but when I arrived, I couldn’t find it. A friend once told me “If the community doesn’t exist, you have to create it.” So, a week after I landed in 2021, I hosted my first brunch. Eleven women showed up, and by the end, everyone was asking about the next one.
From there, we began organizing regular meet-ups, which eventually led to Black to Portugal evolving into Black in Portugal. The Facebook group became a resource for travelers seeking recommendations, and we created a WhatsApp group for planning events and meet-ups.
How did that evolve to include the Black Business List?
When people in our Facebook group asked for restaurant recommendations, they would be told the same tourist-heavy spots. Meanwhile, there were plenty of Mozambican, Cape Verdean, and Angolan restaurants but people were only talking about the most convenient ones and everyone was missing out on gems. So my team and I started hosting events at Black-owned businesses: hangouts at a karaoke spot owned by an Algerian, co-working days at a South African café, or dinners at an Angolan restaurant. We wanted to bring visibility to these businesses because if we’re able to go to Time Out Market (a popular restaurant) and spend $20 or $30 on a burger why can’t we spend $12 on a whole meal and support a black business? I also started connecting with musicians, artists, and creatives, even when language barriers made it difficult. I showed up at events and immersed myself in the scene to show that I was willing to show up and put myself out there, willing to learn the language, and willing to make connections. And yes, of course, we’re all black and a part of the diaspora but Black Americans often have more resources, so I saw it as a responsibility to show support.
Do you have any success stories where you’ve seen this support make a tangible impact?
I see success in the number of micro-communities that have formed through Black in Portugal. There’s now a language exchange group that hosts meet-ups at the Cape Verdean Association, a Zillennial group, and even a 50+ community.
From the local standpoint, I’ve noticed businesses getting more attention Take Rum and Tickles, a Jamaican restaurant. I randomly got a notification about its opening and reached out to the owner just to hype him up. Then I visited with some friends and it’s the snowball effect, you bring some people it’s good and then they bring more people, and soon he was hosting back-to-back sold-out dinners. It’s amazing seeing his growth especially since he had only been in Portugal for 6 months and didn’t know anyone outside of his wife. So it’s cool to see that just a simple conversation can have such an impact.
How do you go about curating the list of Black-owned businesses?
I just show up. For example, there’s an African art museum I stumbled upon. I walked in, started talking to the owners, and never left. For me, the highlight is genuinely getting to know these individuals and having conversations. No one’s going to know what’s out there if you don’t show up. I didn’t go in with any specific intentions I just wanted to talk to them and check it out. And come to find out they also have an amazing art gallery next door where they highlight artists from the diaspora.
When you approach people with genuine curiosity and a willingness to support them without expecting anything in return, it pays off. Maybe not in a month or two, maybe not even in a year, but persistence and sincerity always pays off.
How visible is Black culture and community in Portugal today?
I think that the Portuguese sometimes push an agenda when it comes to Black neighborhoods and communities. They have a habit of labeling Black neighborhoods as dangerous. For example, there’s Cova da Moura, a Cape Verdean community right outside Lisbon. It’s vibrant, has amazing food, and is home to incredible people, yet taxis refuse to go there. On the map, the whole neighborhood is inaccessible you have to walk really far to get a cab when you leave. I’ve spent time there, day and night, and never felt an ounce of fear. I’m from Jersey, so it just felt like kicking it with my people. But every Black neighborhood is given this reputation. If visitors are willing to step outside the typical tourist spots, they’ll gain a much wider perspective on Portugal’s Black community.
What’s the best way for people to access the Black Business List?
We have a paid Google Maps directory available in our Instagram bio. It works wherever you are in Portugal showing nearby Black-owned businesses. It costs $25 and includes my eBook which dives deeper into navigating Portugal, from things to do to understanding different neighborhoods.
I’m also working on a free community directory, which we’ll announce on Instagram once it’s ready.
Purchase the Black Business List here
For more information about Black in Portugal, follow them on Instagram (@black.in.portugal). Whether you’re moving to Portugal or just passing through, the community is there to support, connect, and uplift.