Meet the Maker
Please describe yourself.
My name is Xavier Tramaine, X or Xavier, but I only hear that name when I am in trouble. I am an innate creative, that enjoys traveling the world, building community, creating, and music.
Why Humble Hustle?
Humble Hustle really is just love that’s poured directly from my heart, when I moved back home in 2015, I felt like there was just a need to do more, but not in the traditional way. I felt like there were holes and niches that I could fill in the most innovative and creative way, so I started to work.
We began with different clothing, toiletry and back to school drives for youth and then it branched into us providing scholarships to young girls to do extracurricular activities like gymnastics, that program eventually began pretty humble, where we provide monthly workshops that provide education on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and leadership development opportunities.
Our premier program that organically started with myself and friends just challenging ourselves on different hikes and trails around the area is called Humble Hikes. This program is built to intentionally expose, educate and empower black youth around Roanoke and surrounding areas to get outside and experience outdoor recreation at its wildest capacity.
The nonprofit, The Humble Hustle Company, does so many other things that build community and uplift the community, such as our Roanoke roots and reggae festival, our adult entrepreneurial and creative workshops.
Why Humble Hikes?
Humble Hikes is special because of the lack of access and equity for black youth to experience “Outdoor Culture” not only in Roanoke, but in surrounding areas and around the world. Most of these outdoor assets that are frequently used by community members around Roanoke are easily visible to our youth but it doesn’t mean they can get to them and utilize them. Our program makes that possible, we make kayaking a real thing to our kids instead of them only seeing it on TikTok or on a magazine, or overhearing a counterpart at school speaking about it. We provide education so that career options become something that is possible, we empower so that our youth understand that they are just as worthy of hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, and any other outdoor activity regardless of background, ethnicity or available gear.
Why DWR?
I believe this collaboration is very parallel to what we’re are doing with Humble Hustle. Our outdoor recreation program has provided an innovative and creative way for youth to get exposed to things that are most definitely for them, but not often shown to them. And also to be able to support the non profits efforts by doing what I do best and creating Merc to enthuse the message is really right on target with my goals and dreams. I love collabs, I spoke this is into existence, I did not know what it would look like but I knew at some point we would be here.
Why do you get out of bed?
Besides having to go to work haha, I get out bed to advocate, to create, to build community. I love what I do, and I know that what I am doing is most definitely opening doors for others.
What’s your most memorable “outdoor togetherness”?
I would have to say that this year we did a Humble Hustle team retreat out at Explore Park. It rained the entire time and camping in the rain can be miserable but the “outdoor togetherness” was beautiful, nobody griped or complained, we did team building activities, made s’mores, had fireside convos with games, drinks and food. Everybody that is on the HH team comes from different demographics, ethnicities and backgrounds but that never stopped anything, that day the only thing that mattered was that we were together.
What does community mean to you?
Community to mean unity, its a body of people that are pushing toward a common goal. We all come from some sort of community, and that where we are comfortable, that is where we learned certain things, I think its also important that we venture out to other communities to make sure that we understand that the world is not just one page, but there are so many different communities that believe and think different things, its vital to broaden your perspective. Community means Love to me.