Celebrating Teresa Baker, National Park Advocate!

We are so proud to share this wonderful article and Q&A with Outdoor Afro Leader and pioneer of African Americans in the National Parks Event, Teresa Baker!

California outdoorswoman Teresa Baker doesn’t just love national parks. She encourages thousands of people around the country to love them, too. For two years, she has been the driving force behind a series of successful events encouraging people of color to spend a weekend exploring nature and history. Teresa’s project, the African American National Parks Event, has already grown in size and influence—and she wants to see more people of color involved with the parks, not just as visitors, but as employees and advocates, too.
Q: How did you first get involved in the outdoors? Did you grow up hiking and camping, or is it something you learned to appreciate as an adult?
I’ve always been an outdoor person, playing sports, hiking, camping, exploring. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I started understanding the importance of our national parks. As an adult, I understand the need for conservation. That’s another aspect of getting African Americans out into our open spaces, so we can all begin to engage in the conversation on conservation. We’re not at the table because we’re not in the parks. It’s something that has always been in my life, and that I’ve always wanted to share with friends and family, but now I see the need to get that message out as widely as possible.
Read the full article HERE