Meet Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz | Award-Winning LGBTQ+ Creators and co-founders, On Airplane Mode

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz, how do you think about risk?
To us, taking risks in life has lead to personal growth, new opportunities and greater happiness than just sticking to the status quo. We are always looking for ways to step outside of our comfort zones and challenge ourselves because doing that has lead us to the most special experiences of our lives. One of the biggest risks we have ever taken was when we saved up for two years, quit our jobs, and moved to South East Asia in 2019. Of course there was some fear around this decision before our move, but ultimately this trip lead us to traveling to 14 new countries, introducing us to friends around the world, and creating our platform, On Airplane Mode. We couldn’t imagine how our lives would be now if we didn’t take the risk towards pursuing our passion.

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.
Using our photography and content to represent the LGBTQ+ community fills us with a sense of pride and purpose. By promoting visibility and acceptance for the community and highlighting diverse perspectives and experiences, we aim to reduce discrimination and prejudice around the world. We hope that in sharing our personal story of love and adventure, we can inspire other artists, travelers, and entrepreneurs a sense of validation and hope, especially for younger people who may be struggling with their identity or feeling isolated.

Within the first few months of 2023, there have already been 400 bills introduced to remove the rights of trans and queer people in the US. It is our mission to use our platform to raise awareness and advocate for important issues facing our community. This is also why it is so important for us to continue promoting equality, education on human rights, and social justice that will continue to create positive change on a larger scale.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If we had friends visit Denver, there would be a long list of things to take them to see! One of our favorite ways to spend a weekend in Denver is seeing a live performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater, then heading out for a scenic hike as you can’t come to Denver without getting some exercise in nature. We would then explore the city’s unique neighborhoods like LoDo (Lower Downtown) and RiNo (River North Arts District) and enjoy a coffee at Denver Central Market. Then we would spend the evening watching the sunset over the stadium while enjoying a Rockies game!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
We are so grateful to be surrounded by so many loving and supporting friends and family. Since the beginning, we have been encouraged by everyone to follow our dreams and continue making the world a more inclusive place. We also want to shout out our following on our platform, On Airplane Mode, who are the ones who have been with us consistently over the last 3.5 years. Our large support system has provided encouragement and motivation to pursue our goals and make positive changes around the world. Knowing that there are friends family and an audience who believe in our goals and are rooting for our success is a powerful motivator that keeps pushing us forward.

Website: onairplanemodetravels.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onairplanemode__/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/75764744/admin/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onairplanemodetravels/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/onairplanemodetravels

Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@onairplanemode__ Lemon8: https://www.lemon8-app.com/onairplanemode__

Image Credits
Kirstie Pike and Christine Diaz, On Airplane Mode