Juanita Ingram, an author, entrepreneur, and the first Black Mrs. Universe, is on a journey to show minorities the possibilities of living abroad. “The Expats International Ingrams” is a documentary series on Amazon Prime that delves into her life, along with several families who took a leap of faith and moved overseas.
“This series tackles tough and relatable issues in an educational yet entertaining way, all while breaking stereotypes and increasing a more inclusive representation of expats of color,” Ingram says in the show’s description.
Ingram went from being a corporate attorney to being a stay-at-home mother to living and traveling abroad with her family. The show has already been recognized for its positive portrayal of a Black family by the Telly Awards and Webby Awards.
How have you used your platform to give back to the community?
Most of us have a charity of choice, and my charity for this year will be Dress for Success, specifically in Chattanooga, [Tennessee], and Greater London. I am one of the few women, a founder and board chair for Dress for Success in two different locations. I’ll be working with the Memphis, [Tennessee], affiliate; Indianapolis; and Singapore, and we give unemployed women the opportunity to return to the workplace with support. We provide them with clothing, interview training, and ongoing support and help them to level up their careers once they’re successful.
What is the most fulfilling part of filming your documentary?
It is very surreal, and I pinch myself every single time. We had such a tremendously successful season. The Chattanooga NAACP chapter gave us an Image Award for global ambassadorship. … 6We’ve been given a lot of awards and notoriety. I created this show to bring balance. We must own our narrative. Often on unscripted television, we see the same types of stories. My purpose is that this show does for travel and international living for Black people what “A Different World” did for us for higher education. It opens the door and the possibility and shows you exactly what their life is like in a way that challenges negative stereotypes.
