We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Henderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?

In 1999 I remember being in my 8th grade Language Arts class. We had just finished reading “The Diary of Anne Frank” and we watched the movie starring Millie Perkins to end the unit. At the end of the film I asked my teacher which museum Anne’s diary was in because I really wanted to go see it. Being from the Washington DC area I just assumed that her diary was at one of the Smithsonian museums because if they had Dorothy’s ruby slippers then they had to have Anne Frank’s diary right? I was crushed when he told me the diary was in Amsterdam, because in my mind I would never get to go there because traveling to other countries was for rich people… rich white people to be exact.

I lived with this mindset for years, I never traveled anywhere outside of the United States because I just assumed I couldn’t afford it. In 2016 I took a trip to Australia after learning that plane tickets could be put on layaway. That trip changed my life!

Since then I’ve made it my mission to encourage my community to step outside of their comfort zone to explore the world while showing them how seeing the world doesn’t have to break the bank. Millennial travel is at an all time high, because of blogs like Red Lips & Passports educating on how inexpensive and easy traveling the world can be. I like to believe that I am changing the world, one passport at a time!

Oh yea, and I got to Amsterdam to see Anne Frank’s diary in 2018!

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Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

Currently I run a travel and lifestyle blog called Red Lips & Passports. I encourage my followers/readers to “Celebrate the Beauty of Travel”, by stepping outside of their comfort zones and exploring the world around them.

It started out as an outlet after a bad breakup several years ago and since then has evolved into so much more! RLP is hands down the most exciting, stressful, overwhelming and rewarding project I have ever worked on. If you think that content creating is easy… honnnney think again! One of the most challenging parts of blogging is keeping up with social media trends, as soon as you think you’ve mastered something, here comes a new feature that you have to learn. I’ve had to humble myself and learn to not be afraid to ask other bloggers to show me how to use these new features.

The thing I am most proud of is the impact RLP has had on my community. I receive so many messages from followers sharing how they’ve been inspired to get passports, try new foods, and just expand their horizons in general.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to not sacrifice my mental health/self care for the blog. Earlier this year I was putting out so much content and committing to so many collaborations that I forgot to take care of myself. I nearly had a mental breakdown caused by creative burnout. I realized, blogging isn’t going anywhere, so it is ok to rest.

I want the world to know that I am proof that stepping outside of your comfort zone can lead you to fulfilling your life’s purpose. Also, that if it gets too scary, I’ll be right there with them rooting them on.


Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

First, I would make sure they come during the late spring or early summer and to be prepared to eat good!

Day 1:

We’d grab breakfast at one of the staple places in DC like Florida Avenue Grill. Then head down to the Tidal Basin to see all of the monuments.

Head over to Dupont Circle for tacos and drinks at Lauriol Plaza and then grab a late night pedicure at Mimosa Spa

Day 2:

Brunch at Ada’s on the River in Old Town Alexandria, and then head over to the city for indoor golf at Swingers, grab drinks at La Vie at the Wharf and maybe hit up one of the many rooftop lounges in the area.

Day 3:
Brunch at Cafe 44, shopping at Eastern Market, and then head over to the REACH at the Kennedy Center for one of their cultural activities and festivals. finish the day off with Ice Cream from Goodies

Day 4: Visit Virginia’s wine country in Loudon County. We’d spend the day hopping around the various wineries sipping good wines and nibbling on charcuterie


Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to every person that I’ve crossed paths with. Whether it was a good or bad interaction, each of you has been a part of me reaching my dreams!

Website: www.redlipsandpassports.com

Instagram: @redlipsandpassports

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/130034934970349/

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