Now Presenting The 2016 Outdoor Afro Leadership Team!

Now Presenting The 2016 Outdoor Afro Leadership Team!
Sixty Leaders Will Create Relevant Outdoor Experiences in 26 States.

For the fifth year in a row, Outdoor Afro has recruited and selected enthusiastic volunteers from around the country to inspire black connections and leadership in nature. We are proud to be expanding to new cities including Boston, Denver, Miami, Las Vegas, Milwaukee, and Anchorage, AK
In April 2016, the Leadership Team will gather in Yosemite National Park to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial and in honor of the 150th Anniversary of the Buffalo Soliders' stewardship of the park.
Utilizing an experiential learning model, the team will learn skills  vital to Outdoor Afro's national movement to increase Black engagement with nature. Workshops, including "Creating Community in the Outdoors"  "African American Legacy of Stewardship and Conservation" and "Learning and Presenting on the Black History of Your Local Green Spaces,"  will be lead by senior Outdoor Afro leaders as well as African American park service staff.
Outdoor Afro is deeply grateful to our sponsors including REI, KEEN Footwear, Klean Kanteen, Sierra Club, and National Wildlife Federation – California.

Alaska
Kendra Johnson    
Kendra Johnson 
Anchorage, AK
Winter and Summer Hiker, Canoer, Gardener
   
Arizona
Angela Fears    
Angela Fears
Phoenix, Az
Yogi, Nature Photographer
   
California
Vicki ivan Julius Hampton
Vicki Allen
Los Angeles, CA
Swimmer, Mountain Lover
Ivan Guillory
Los Angeles, CA
Hiker, Nutritionist, Cyclist
Julius Hampton
Oakland, CA
Biker, Teacher, Yogi
. . .
Zoe monifa porter  
Zoë Polk
San Francisco, CA
Waterfall Enthusiast, Backpacker
Monifa Porter
Oakland, CA
Forest Fan, Trail Runner
 
. . .
Jole Cliff Nina LaVelle
Jole Simmons
San Francisco, CA
Hiker, Father, Nature Photographer
Cliff Sorrell 
Hercules, CA
Orienteerist, Family Hiker
Nina Thiebert 
Oakland, CA
Yogi, Biker, Musician
Colorado
KristePeoples-OA1 Roz Silva  
Kriste Peoples
Denver, CO
Hiker, Runner, Sunshine Enthusiast
Roz Silva
Boulder, CO
Backerpacker,
Hiker, Wilderness Therapist
 
Connecticut
Absalom    
Absalom Massie
New Haven, CT
Hiker, Youth Motivator
   
Florida
James Little Tashana Hillary Van Dyke
James Little
Jacksonville, FL
Scuba Diver, Kayaker, Sailor
Ta-Shana Taylor
Miami, FL
Hiker, Geologist
Hillary Van Dyke
North Reddington Beach, FL
Trail Runner
Georgia
Tamara Stefan Tamos Shakur
Tamara Johnson
Athens, GA
Ecologist, Campfire songstress
Stefan Moss
Marietta, GA
Hiker, Fruit Forager, Environmental Scientist
 Tammy Shakur
Atlanta, GA
Dog lover, Trail Runner
. . .
Wandi    
Wandi Steward
Columbus, GA
Swimmer, Kayaker, Mountain Biker
   
Illinois
val morrow Chris Robinson Viva
Valerie Morrow
Oak Park, IL
Canoer, Cross Country Skier, Hiker
Chris Robinson
Chicago, IL
Hiker, Hammock Camper
Viva Yeboah
Chicago, IL
Environmental Steward, Hiker, Bicylcist
Indiana
yo7

   
Yolanda Crocker Bradley
Gary, IN
Beach Hiker, Yogi, Foodie
   
Kentucky
Stevon Edwards Alicia Hurle  
Stevon Edwards
Louisville, KY
Zipliner, Adventure Traveler
Alicia Hurle
Louisville, KY
Bicyclist, Hiker, Backpacker
 
Maryland
Brittany Melody Graves  
Brittany Leavitt
Baltimore, MD
Climber, Backpacker, Nature Photographer, Yogi
Melody Mckinley
Baltimore, MD
Fisherwoman, Sailor, Kite Flyer
 
Massachusetts
Chaya Harris    
Chaya Harris
Boston, MA
Camper, World Traveler
   
Minnesota
Alora Jones Greg Shuck  
Alora Jones
Minneapolis, MN
Camper, Local Park Explorer
Greg Shuck
St. Paul, MN
Downhill Skier, Hiker
 
Missouri
Mario Shakealia Finley Lekisha Hamilton
Mario Charles
St. Louis, MO
H

iker, Musician, Camper

Shakealia Finley
Columbia, MO
Camping Enthusiast
 Lekisha Hamilton
St. Louis, MO
Hiker, Cycler
. . .
Duane    
Duane Williams
St. Louis, MO
Camper, Percussionist
   
Nevada
Toyya Mahoney    
Toyya Mahoney
Las Vegas, NV
Hiker, Explorer, Kayaker
   
New Jersey
Deb Smith Kelly  
Deb Smith
Newark, NJ
Nature Walker, Meditator, Stand Up Paddleboader
Kelly Thomas
Newark, NJ
Musician, Camper
 
New York
Katina Grays Allison Guess  
Katina Grays
New York, NY
Hiker, World Traveler
Allison Guess
New York, NY
Stargazer, Storyteller, Geographer
 
North Carolina
Beky Chris  
Beky Branagan
Cary, NC
Camper, Trail Runner, Quilter
 Christopher Clarke
Durham, NC
Fisherman, Hiker
 
Ohio
Kim Smith Woodford    
Kimberly Smith-Woodford
Cleveland, OH
Nature Lover, Hiker
   
Oregon
Pam    
Pamela Slaughter
Portland, OR
Birder, Gardener, Community Organizer
   
Pennsylvania
  David McCullogh  
  David McCullough
Ardmore, PA
Hiker, Science Educator
 
South Carolina
12742820_10208757307597229_6542872783037819457_n Porchia Yanira-Castro_OA
Adrienne Troy Frazier
Charleston, SC Kayaker, Nature Educator, Community Organizer
Porchia Moore
Columbia, SC
Camper, Beach Comber, Cyclist, Poet
 Yanira Castro
Fort Mill, SC
Hiker, Ocean Lover, Foodie
Tennessee
Tez Thompson 2016    
Lotez Thompson
Nashville, TN
Hiker, Yogi, Swimmer
   
Texas
Tiara Chapman olatunde gbolahan OALT Starla Simmons
Tiara Chapman
Dallas, TX
Camper, Nature Educator
Olatunde Gbolahan
Austin, TX
Backpacker, Fisherman, Beach Camper
 Starla Simmons
Austin, TX
Swimmer, Forest Lover, Gardener
Virginia
Akisha Leah Young  
Akisha Mackritis
Woodbridge, VAHiker, Beach Explorer, Yogi
Leah Young
Fairfax, VAHiker, Photographer,  Camper
 
Washington
Alicia Marie Karmiah Matt
Alicia Highland
Seattle, WA
Hiker, Swimmer, Environmental Scientist
Karmiah Knowles
Snowboarder, Hiker, Runner
Des Moines, WA
 Matt Reese
Seattle, WA
Snowboarder, Father, Nature Enthusiast
Washington D.C.
Ray Charles Autumn Saxton Ross
Raymond Smith
Washington, DC
Backpacker, Snowboarder, Kayaker
Charles Taylor
Washington, DC
Snowboarder, Hiker, Fitness Motivator
Autumn Saxton Ross
Washington, DC
Local Park enthusiast,
Wisconsin
cheryl LakeWindgra02202016  
Cheryl Mitchell
Milwaukee, WI
Hiker, Fisherwoman
Nola Walker
Madison, WI
Tree Hugger, Hiker, Meditator
 
Would you like to invest in Relevant, Community-based Outdoor Leadership? Click Here to Make a Tax Deductible Donation to Our Work!

#SwimmingWhileBlack: Diving In

Inspired by Black History, Outdoor Afro Gary, Indiana Leader Yolanda Crocker-Bradley learns to swim and changes her relationship with her favorite local shoreline.

 

Why did you decide to take swim lessons?

For years, I had toyed with the thought of actually learning to swim. Considering that natural spaces that are in close proximity to water have always resonated with me deeply, it would seem that I should’ve learned sooner, but I didn’t.

After joining the Outdoor Afro leadership team last year, I felt called to take action. I learned so much about the history of Black people and swimming, and the disparities that exist regarding the likelihood of Black children learning to swim. It felt not only like a beneficial thing to do for myself, it felt like a personal responsibility.

African American swimmers at a youth camp on the Indiana Dunes in the 1940's
African American swimmers at a youth camp on the Indiana Dunes in the 1940's (Courtesy of National Park Service)
 
Why didn't you learn to swim as a child?

As a youth, I wasn’t afforded the opportunity to learn to swim due to both financial barriers and also the lack of a usable pool at my high school. I think it is important to raise awareness and provide opportunities for youth from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to do so.

Why is it important to your children to see you taking swim lessons?

As a mother of 5, it is imperative that I lead by example and put action behind my hopes and aspirations. Learning to swim has been no different. For me, swimming represents not only a way to maintain my health, both physically and mentally, it also serves as a crucial life skill in the event of an unforeseen water related emergency. Being a competent swimmer can mean the difference between life or death. My hope is that my example will contribute to challenging and rewriting the false, but prevalent narrative that “Black people don’t swim.” I’m optimistic that my children, and my children’s children, will come to think of swimming as the norm, an activity that is a regular part of their lifestyles and summer fun. Long gone will be the days that they shy away from aquatic related activities based on not knowing how to swim, or being afraid of the water.

kids
Beach days with my kids.

 

What physical and mental lessons are you learning from swimming?

My journey of learning to swim has been amazing, but not without challenges. I am learning in an environment where I am the only person of color and only one of two adult learners present. That can be a bit uncomfortable and intimidating. I’m pushed forward by this thought. If myself and others allow this to be a deterrent, this will forever be the case. So I push through, 40 years old, feeling both awkward in a swimsuit, and slightly ridiculous in a floatation device, wading in the water, head held high. (Unfortunately, in the context of swimming, high held heads are not beneficial, at least not in a literal sense.)

 

yo6
Hiking at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore

 

What existing strengths are helping you learn how to swim?

Coming from a background of running and hiking, I have benefitted from having lead a pretty active lifestyle. Still, learning to swim is challenging my body and mind in ways they hadn’t been previously. It's physically demanding, from top to bottom. Then, there’s that little issue of learning to breathe properly and submerge my head beneath water. It was all good when I was in the shallow end as a child, letting the water course through my toes and skipping stones along the surface. Swimming is a different beast altogether. I love it though. The water is strong, yet gentle- bringing up feelings of momentary anxiety, then calm. It’s the total experience.

What advice to you have for other people like you  who want to swim?
For others considering learning to swim, especially Black women, seek out options that are available in your community, especially your local YMCA.  If fear has been a factor, feel it and do it anyway. There are communities of people waiting to support and root you on. You won’t regret it. Plus, I am eagerly anticipating moving this indoor pool action to the open waters when the weather breaks, I want you to be ready to join me. More outdoor adventures await! 

Do you know how to swim? Tell us about your relationship with the water using #SwimmingWhileBlack.

By Land and By Sea: Exploring Local Black History

This month, join Outdoor Afro as we dive into the historic Martin Luther King Jr. Swimming Pool,  discover little known Black history in our neighborhoods, and board the Balclutha to learn about African American sailors' contributions to the 1920's Alaskan salmon industry.

Atlanta, Georgia
Learn to Swim February 6 
Explore Martin Luther King National Historic Site February 13
Crystal River Manatee Festival February 19
Urban Hike in Auburn District February 27
Atlanta BeltLine Arboretum Walking Tour February  27
Bay Area, California
Reclaiming Nature: A Panel Discussion with Outdoor Afro and Urban Releaf  February 3
Early Morning Cataract Falls Hike February 7
Orienteering at Sunol Regional Wilderness February 7
Snowshoe in Lassen Volcanic Park February 14
Gadget Geek Out with REI February 16
Emergency Preparedness with REI February 24
Black History Themed Urban Hike in San Francisco February 27
Charleston, South Carolina
Swimming Social at Martin Luther King Jr. Pool February 27
Walking Tour of Slann Island Plantation February 28
Chicago, Illinois and Gary, Indiana
 Book Discussion "Black Faces, White Spaces"  February 7
Hike the Miller Woods Trail February 7
Learn to Snowshoe with REI February 13
Los Angeles, CA
Discover the Hidden African American History of Los Angeles  February 27
Louisville, KY
Black History Hike in Chickasaw Neighborhood  February 20
New York/New Jersey
Black History Harlem Walking Tour February 28
 North Carolina Triangle
Let's Hike the Bull! Urban Black History Hike in Downtown Durham February 27
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Portland, Oregon
 Hike the Inner Loop Trail at Tryon Creek State Park February 13
Explore Smith and Bybee Lakes Wildlife Area February 27
Phoenix, AZ
Healing Hike Sedona Red Rock Ceremony February 14 
Richmond, VA
Birding with Richmond Audubon Society  February 13
Learn about U.S. Colored Troops at Petersburg National Battlefield February 20
Seattle, Washington
 In conversation with Dr. Carolyn Finney, author of  "Black Faces, White Spaces"  February 19
St Louis, Missouri
Guided Black History Hike in Washington State Park February February 19
Urban Hike to NW African American Museum February 20
Washington DC- Maryland- Northern Virginia
Fredrick Douglas 198th Birthday Celebration February 12
 Explore Black History at Lucasville School and Ben Lomond Historic Sites February 13
Harpers Ferry Camp Hill Hike February 14
Appalachian Trail Hike February 27
Learn to Ski or Snowboard at Liberty Mountain Resort February 28
Do you know the stories behind historically Black beaches, parks, and recreation areas in your city? Is your street named after an Outdoor Afro in history? Have you hiked sections of the Underground Railroad?  TELL US about the local Black History in your region!
Storer-WaPo


December Trail Mix: Winter Wandering

Get in the mix as we go snowboarding, build community and a campfire in the mountains, and incorporate nature into our seasonal decorations.

 

Atlanta, Georgia

Birdwatching at Piedmont Park December 5 
Hike Sweetwater Creek State Park December 12 
Atlanta Beltline Bus Tour December 12
Holiday Campfire and Music in the Arabia Mountains December 13
Stargazing at the Arabia Mountains December 13
Tree Climbing at Panola Mountain State Park December 19

Bay Area, California

Choose and Cut Your Own Xmas Tree December 6
DIY: Holiday Wreathmaking Workshop December 12
Birding at Cosumnes River Preserve December 13
Santa Cruz Tide Pools and Migrating Monarchs December 20
portland

Charleston, South Carolina

DIY Holiday Wreathmaking Class December 6 
Choose and Cut Your Own Xmas Tree December 12
#HealthyHolidays Indigo Batik Dyeing Class December 13

Chicago, Illinois and Gary, Indiana

Urban Hike at Washington Park and visit to DuSable Museum of African American History December 6 

Los Angeles, CA

PicMonkey Collage

Louisville, KY

 OutdoorAfro Potluck Social December 5

New York/New Jersey

Nature Photography at Brooklyn Botanical Garden December 18

North Carolina Triangle

Easy Hike at Umstead State Park December 28
collage

Portland, Oregon

Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Recruitment Info Session December 10

Phoenix, AZ

 Desert Discovery: South Mountain Healing Hike December 6
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Richmond, VA

 Ice Skating with Blue Sky Fund  December 5
St. Emma and Belmead Tour and Hike December 19

Seattle, Washington

Skiing and Snowboarding at Steven's Pass December 19 
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St Louis, Missouri

Black Friday Hike in Castlewood State Park December 6
End of the Year Meet and Greet December 19

Washington DC- Maryland- Northern Virginia

Hike in Great Falls National Park December 19
Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Info Session December 20
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2016 Outdoor Afro Leadership Team: Now Recruiting!

Connect to our Leadership Network and Create Relevant Outdoor Experiences for Yourself, Your Family and Your Community

 

Tell Us About You:

*Are you an outdoor enthusiast who wants to lead creative and accessible outdoor events?
*Are you invested in leveraging the outdoors to improve Black family health?
*Are you inspired by the Buffalo Soldiers, Benjamin Banneker, Harriet Tubman,George Washington Carver and Wangari Maathai?
*Do you want to connect to a nationally recognized network of Black Americans who share your love for the outdoors?
If these questions resonate with you, APPLY TODAY to join the 2016 Outdoor Afro Leadership Team (OALT).

 

About Us

We Build Community

Outdoor Afro Leaders are deeply connected to each other and their local communities. Your term on the OALT begins at the annual Outdoor Afro Leadership Training. Leaders affirm Outdoor Afro values through a curriculum created and lead by existing OALT members. You will learn about trip planning basics, the health impacts of nature, conservation ethics, risk management, and effective social media engagement. New and returning leaders share their strengths with each other and immediately apply learned skills at the training.
This year’s mandatory training will take place April 7-9, 2016 in Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, CA.
After the training, leaders remain engaged the OALT community by sharing successes, strategizing on national campaigns and co-leading events together.12046631_10153675959809187_6270779045333800162_n

We Narrate Our Storied Landscapes

The OALT was founded to empower everyday people to draw inspiration from Black history, art, music, and radicalism to become confident and skilled outdoor leaders. Our leaders create relationships between our communities and the outdoors by telling known, little known, and unknown stories about Black connections to public parks, watersheds and wilderness.
We recognize that stewardship is a part of the African American legacy.

We Change the Conversation

Since 2009, we have evolved to become one of the few authorities on Black American community engagement in the outdoors.  We do not ask, “Where is the diversity in the outdoors?” Our starting place is that all Black people have a unique relationship with nature. Our leaders create accessible outdoors experiences in kayaks, with backpacks, around the fireplace, on skis, in the garden, at the city park, in the backcountry, at the vineyard,  on the mountain, at the bbq pit, in the woods, under the moonlight and at the beach.

We Strengthen Skills

We restore outdoor leadership back to the home. Applicants don’t need to have formal outdoor experience. We help ordinary people, the accountant, the student, the lawyer, the teacher and the musician, equip themselves with knowledge and confidence to be able to create lasting and relevant outdoor experiences for their families and their communities, drawing on the lessons of our parents and our ancestors.
Our leaders become outdoors instructors,   hometown heroes,  trusted experts,  sought after speakers, change makers serve on the boards of leading environmental organizations, win recognition and awards from their local communities, and valued employees of national and regional park systems.
charles

 

Here is what we require:

*Facilitate a minimum 1 Outdoor Afro sponsored event every month
*Participate in regular conference calls with other OA Leaders
*Develop two new Outdoor Afro Leadership Team ambassadors in your region
*Live within 50 miles of an REI store (preferred)

Leader perks include:

Select FREE premium gear and supplies from sponsors KEEN Shoes, REI, Klean Kanteen, and more!
Three day intensive training and unforgettable bonding with fellow Outdoor Afro Leaders in beautiful Yosemite National Park
Professional support, coaching, and outdoor skills development training
The ability to make a tangible and positive difference for your local community and the natural world
Apply now to join our diverse team from around the nation to bring the outdoors to more people in your community!

Next Steps to be Eligible for Consideration:

1. Familiarize yourself with Outdoor Afro. Join your local network and go on our next adventure. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Read our blog.
2. Complete the application—submit via email to [email protected] by Friday, January 8, 2016 and participate fully in the interview process via phone and video conference calls.
3. Interviews will take place from 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm January 11–22, 2016. Interviews will be designated on a rolling basis.  Due to the large volume of applications we receive, interview times will be assigned.
4. Save the Date for a mandatory in-person training from April 7–9, 2016 at Yosemite National Park (transportation not included).
5. The 2016 Class of Outdoor Afro Leaders will be confirmed and announced by February 12, 2016.
For any questions, please contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to meeting you!
group eagle

 


Trail Mix: Natural November

 Get in the Mix as we run a 5k in the Redwoods, CampOut under the stars, Picnic on the Lake and #OptOutside

 

Atlanta, Georgia

 Providence Canyon Campout, Hike and Star Gaze November 7
Hike at Black Rock Mountain State Park November November 14
Essential Camping Skills and Intro to Back County Cooking November 21
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Bay Area, California

Volleyball at Memorial Crown State Beach November 1
Stories from Mount Whitney and Outdoor Afro Recruitment Info Session November 3
Potluck at Lake Merritt November 7
Veterans Day Hike in Honor of Port Chicago November 11
Trail Run with REI in Redwood Regional Park November 14
Autumn Hiking on Russian Ridge Open Preserve November 21
Hike on the Carquinez Bridge November 21

Charleston South Carolina

Autumn Night Walk at Beidler Forest November 21
 Hike to the Sewee Native American Shell Ring November 28

Chicago, Illinois and Gary, Indiana

Meet and Greet at County Line Orchard November 1
Stories from Mount Whitney and Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Recruitment Info Session November 18
#OptOutside at Miller Woods November 27
Stewardship at Miller Woods November 28
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Los Angeles, CA
Louisville, KY

Leave No Trace Training November 6
Wilderness First Aid Training November 13

New York/New Jersey

Visit to African Burial Ground National Monument November 28
 Stories from Mount Whitney and Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Recruitment Info Session November 30

 North Carolina Triangle

Fall Foliage Hike at Kings Highway Park November 8

Portland, Oregon

REI Member Party November 2
Outdoor Afro Happy Hour and 2016 Planning Meeting November 12
 Visit to Beautiful Oregon Garden in Silverton  November 14

tamara
Phoenix, AZ

 Healing Hike Lost Dog Wash Trail November 8
Healing Hike Sedona Red Rock Ceremony  November 14

Richmond, VA

Virginia Blue Ridge Railway Kids in Parks Track Trails November 21
#OptOutside at R Garland Dodd Park November 28
Holiday Hearth Cooking Demonstration and Mansion Tour at Chippokes State Park November 29

Seattle, Washington

Learn to Ski and Snowboard Basics November 16
Seattle Outdoor Afro #OptOutside at Tumwater Falls  November 27
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St Louis, Missouri

Black Friday Hike in Castlewood State Park November 27

Washington DC- Maryland- Northern Virginia

Walking Tour: Arboretum and Grounds November 6
 Hiker Biker Trail Ft. Dupont to Ft. Stanton November 7
Exploring the Night Sky at Rock Creek Park Nature Center November 7
Harpers Ferry Day Hike Maryland Heights November 14
Hiking 101: Winter Gear at REI November 20
Hike SugarLoaf Mountain November 27

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Healthy Holidays: Incorporating the Outdoors into our Seasonal Celebrations

Join us in BEING INTENTIONAL about Black Family Health over the holidays!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year- a time when we gather at the ancestral lands of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents, cook our favorite homemade foods, decorate our homes  with  greenery, fruits and fire, and sing of snow filled winters with our children.

In tribute to these traditions and in recognition of how a simple walk in the woods improves mental and physical health, Outdoor Afro invites you to join us in our Healthy Holidays campaign.

hiking

 We hope you and your family will deepen your connections to nature and to each other by incorporating the outdoors into your holiday festivities:

*Hike around your neighborhood or a local trail on Halloween.

*Discover the Black History at your local National Park.

*Plan your summer camping or backpacking trip.

*Research ideas for your spring garden.

*Create your own holiday decorations.

*Reserve your family's summer campsite.

*Preserve fruits, jams, jellies, and other favorite foods in a family canning activity

*#OptOutside on Black Friday with REI.

*Explore your family's land and document its history.

*Cherish the laughter caused by sledding. 

*Incorporate birding into your family snow shoe.

*Give gifts that inspire outdoor engagement.

*Cook collectively with whole foods.

*Start swim lessons and/or to support family members learning to swim.

Traveling out of state? We’ve got you covered!  Check out our monthly Trail Mix to join us in a family friendly event outdoors!

Trail Mix October 

Trail Mix November 

Trail Mix December 

snow collage


The Trail Mix: Outside in October

You're invited to Prowl Owls, Pick Apples, Carve Pumpkins, and Glamp Out with us this month.

Atlanta, Georgia

Essential Camping Skills and Introduction to Backcountry Cooking with REI October 3 
Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery Open House October 10
Pick Apples at Hillcrest Orchards in Ellijay Georgia October 17
Halloween Hike at Amicola Falls and Burts Farm's Pumpkin Hunt October 25
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Bay Area, California

 Outdoor Afro GlampOut October 1
Black History and Hiking on San Francisco's Coast  October 2
Mount Whitney Slide Show & Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Recruitment Info Session October 6
Family Celebration of Urban Birds with Oakland Museum of California! October 10
Orienteering in Briones Regional Park October 11
Spider Love Hike October 11
Outdoor Afro After Work: Bernal Hill October 23
Pumpkin Carving and Learning at Pollinate October 24
Family Field Trip to Slide Ranch October 24
Climb that Wall October 24
Night Walk in the Forest October 31

kayaking

Chicago, Illinois and Gary, Indiana

Soundwalk at Pullman Nat'l Monument & State Historic Site October 3
Fall Paddling on Little Calumet River October 17
 Fall Acrylic Art in the Marquette Park October 18
Camping at Kettle Moraine Southern Unit October 24
3 Dune Challenge at Indiana State Park October 31

Los Angeles, CA

Docent Led Hike at Malibu Creek State Park October 18
 Mount Whitney Slide Show & Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Recruitment Info Session October 29

PicMonkey Collage

 Louisville, KY

Fall Break Canoemobile October 2 
Annual Mayor's Hike at Jefferson Memorial Forest October 17

New York/New Jersey

Pumpkin Carving and Corn Maze with Outdoor AfrOctober 24

 North Carolina Triangle

Camping at Falls Lake October 10 

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Portland, Oregon

Hike to Wahkeena Falls and Fairy Falls, then the base of Multnomah Falls October 3

Phoenix, AZ

Missions, Massacres and Plagues: Trail Tales October 31

Richmond, VA

 Hiking and Walking Stick Craft at Powhatan State Park October 24
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Seattle, Washington

Owl Prowl at Seward Park October 17

South Carolina

Survival on the Coast Hike at Edisto State Park October 3
Leave No Trace Family Workshop and Fall Hike October 31
hiking

St Louis, Missouri

Moderate hike on Lewis and Clark Trail October 11 
Fall Camping in Washington State Park October 30

Washington DC- Maryland- Northern Virginia

 Heritage Trail Neighborhood Walk October 3
Pierce Mill Heritage Day October 10
Fall Yoga Hike at Leesylvania State Park October 11

Make October Festive with Outdoor Afro!
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Outdoor Afro Leadership Team Information and Recruitment Series

In partnership with REI, Outdoor Afro is excited to present a special series in advance of our 2016 Outdoor Afro Leadership Team recruitment.
We will share more on our recent journey to the summit of Mount Whitney, including photos and tips for success. We will also provide information on how YOU can join our nationally recognized Leadership Team team.
 

*SAVE THE DATES:

Berkeley, CA October 6, 2015
RSVP

Denver, CO October 12, 2015
RSVP 

Santa Monica, CA October 29, 2015
RSVP

San Jose, CA November 3, 2015
RSVP

Chicago, IL November 18, 2015

RSVP

New York, NY November 30, 2015

RSVP

Portland, Oregon December 10, 2015

RSVP

Washington, DC December 20, 2015

RSVP

 

 *Additional Dates and Locations TBD

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