Connecting Cultures Through Music
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Travel Songs is a non-profit organization that films documentaries around various parts of the globe. While filming we recognize a critical need within the local community as it pertains to music and we enact charitable initiatives to advocate for the retention of local culture and art.
The goal of The Travel Songs Foundation is to document, preserve, and conserve various art forms from around the world.
We present our findings through various types of media in order to share and educate people on global music and culture.
In doing this, we hope to bridge the gap between cultures and create a time capsule of art and people that can be studied and understood by generations to come.
Our travels will be documented in the form of photographs, high definition video, an online travelogue, and interactive online social media – all captured in a minimally intrusive and respectful manner.
We will focus on the human connection and make sure we give back as much as we take; we will not only learn from the people we meet, but we will share with them our knowledge on music, art, and culture in order to create an equal exchange. We will share this information on a broader scale to educate people and create an awareness of others rooted in the idea that while everyone is unique, we all share common passions. We will inspire the people of the world to embrace our similarities instead of the distraction of our differences and to realize that travel can be a tangible, enriching, and self-fulfilling experience for almost anyone. Lastly, we will act as global ambassadors for our country and generation in support of a future that embraces unity – not separation.
Our travels will be guided by the principles of promoting peace, positivity, and above all – respect for every person and place we encounter along the way.
Zachary Humenik
Zachary is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Travel Songs Foundation. He studied Anthropology at The University of Delaware and graduated in 2008. Since then he has served a year of service as an AmeriCorps fellow, worked as a photographer in Tunisia during the 2011-2012 popular revolutions, filmed and edited videos for TIME Inc., and led a video division at a technology start-up in New York City. Zachary is currently employed by The University of Pennsylvania as Associate Director of the Online Learning Studio.
When he is not planning charity and video productions for The Travel Songs Foundation, Zachary spends his time playing music, taking 35mm photographs, and speaking at his alma mater, The University of Delaware.
Tyler Holloway
Tyler Holloway is the Co-Founder and a Board Member of the Travel Songs Foundation. After receiving his Bachelors Degree in Music Business, Tyler pursued a career as a musician, educator, and recording studio owner before returning to school to acquire MBAs with concentrations in Marketing Management and Organizational Leadership. Tyler then transitioned to a career in marketing where he currently works as a Project Manager and Consultant to help nonprofits, small businesses, and large corporations get the most out of their marketing and technology presence.
This interest and experience lies at the core of his role with the Travel Songs Foundation, where he is responsible for the development and execution of the organization’s Marketing Strategy and Donor Relations, as well as the Audio Production and Engineering for all Travel Songs multimedia projects.
Avrim Topel
Avrim Topel is a board member of The Travel Songs Foundation and serves as the business strategy advisor to the organization. After spending 36 years as a Real Estate Developer and Hotelier, Ave Topel dedicates his time to creative and philanthropic endeavors. As a painter, his paintings have enjoyed successful gallery shows in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and as an author, he has published two books. Ave is most passionate about music. As a published songwriter, most of his time these days is dedicated to songwriting. He is also a partner in The Batson Guitar Company located in Nashville, TN. He resides with his wife of 33 years, Vicki, and lives in Delaware and Florida.
Carla Guerron Montero
Carla Guerrón Montero is a board member of The Travel Songs Foundation and serves as the organization's academic advisor. Dr. Guerrón Montero is a cultural and applied anthropologist originally from Ecuador, trained in the United States and Latin America. She specializes in the African diaspora, the anthropology of tourism and the anthropology of food (Panama, Ecuador, Grenada, Brazil). Dr. Guerrón Montero is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Delaware. She holds joint appointments in the Departments of Africana Studies and Women and Gender Studies and the Latin American and Iberian Studies Program.
As part of her research, Dr. Guerrón Montero has published on the ways in which music becomes a vehicle for identity representation and nation-building, and has organized special events focused on music in the African Diaspora for the Delaware community. Additionally, she was the convener and meeting program organizer of the Music and Sound Interest Group (MSIG) of the American Anthropological Association (2010-2012).