The Avent on Falls Bed and Breakfast

Meet the Women of Color Remaking One North Carolina Town Into a Destination That Celebrates Diversity

"I learned that a nine-room guesthouse opened this past October after three women—Kristin Kitchen (founder of Sojourn Heritage Accommodations), Melanie Graham (a fellow B&B owner), and Metris Batts-Coley (previously manager of a Sojourn Heritage property in Miami)—fell in love with a 1901 home in town and converted it into Avent on Falls; noting that fewer than 1 percent of U.S. hotels are owned by Black women, they intend to celebrate Rocky Mount's rich African‑American history and work together to bridge deep racial divides by telling local stories and improving the community." - Alex Temblador Alex Temblador Alex Temblador is a mixed Latinx award-winning travel writer for Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, and Tripadvisor, among others. She's best known for her coverage of diversity, inclusion, and equity as it relates to travel. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines