Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures

Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures (CAYTA) works to instill a sense of purpose, self-worth, and resilience in young people — empowering them to make positive choices in and out of the classroom. By nurturing their talents, fostering personal growth, and promoting a safe and supportive environment, CAYTA works to break the cycle of violence by guiding youth toward a brighter, more productive future.

Through educational resources, mentorship, and career guidance, CAYTA equips young people with the tools, skills, and support they need to overcome obstacles and thrive — and through travel, it opens the world to them.

CAYTA's mission is carried in memory of Devin Catrell Dyer, Crystal Dyer's grandson — an aspiring young entrepreneur who hosted safe events for the youth of his community, and whose life was taken by gun violence in 2011 at one of them. The organization exists so that other young people get the future he deserved. You can read Devin's story, told by his grandmother, at caytaworld.org.

Meet Crystal Dyer

Crystal Dyer is an accredited and Certified Travel Advisor (CTA) and the Founder and CEO of Gone Again Travel & Tours. In 2016 she opened the first African-American-owned brick-and-mortar travel agency in Chicago's Austin community, and she serves as Chicagoland Director of CCRA.

Crystal chairs the Chicago Austin Chamber of Commerce, serves as treasurer on the Executive Board of the Austin Chamber of Commerce and on the Oak Park Chamber of Commerce, and previously chaired State Representative La Shawn K. Ford's Tourism Committee in Springfield, Illinois. Her work has been featured on WGN-TV Chicago, in the Chicago Reader, the Voice Newspaper, and across Chicagoland media.

"Travel broadens the horizons of our youth, by enhancing their understanding of global issues such as poverty, food and social inequalities, and by inspiring them to become more globally aware." — Crystal Dyer, President & Founder

Her passion is to expose inner-city youth to world cultures and a better life — working closely with community organizations including Prevention Partnership, Austin Coming Together, and the Austin Childcare Network.

The Ghana Study Abroad Program

CAYTA's Study Abroad Program offers students the opportunity to experience Ghana through education, cultural immersion, and meaningful connection — historic landmarks, university visits, and conversations with local leaders and community members, designed to deepen understanding and strengthen connections to Africa's rich history and future.

Participants can earn academic credit through structured experiential learning; deepen their understanding of African history, heritage, identity, and diaspora connections; explore leadership, entrepreneurship, tourism, and global citizenship; and engage directly with Ghanaian students, educators, professionals, and community leaders.

Participants return home with more than memories — new perspectives, lasting relationships, and a renewed sense of purpose.