President Obama Signs America's Great Outdoors Memorandum
I just got back from Washington DC on Monday after participating on behalf of the Outdoor Afro community in the first ever America's Great Outdoors conference. This event was designed to bring leaders from around the country to discuss ways to re-connect Americans to the Great Outdoors and hosted the historic signing of the Presidential Memorandum on the topic.
Last Thursday night was the pre-conference mixer at the Department of Agriculture, where we heard from the Department of the Interior (Ken Salazar), Department of Agriculture (Tom Vilsack), Council on Environmental Quality (Nancy Sutley), and the Environmental Protection Agency (Lisa Jackson). Following a brief program, participants had the opportunity to pre-register for the conference and network among environmental, recreational, retail, and government related leadership from all over the United States.
A highlight of the trip was reconnecting with the historic Breaking the Color Barrier Conference alumni, a subset of a larger group of individuals who represent organizations that work year-round to connect the outdoors to underrepresented communities of color.
The following Friday morning conference program was held at the Department of the Interior and well orchestrated for both attendees and television audiences, with more networking opportunities.
President Obama, who stood mere feet from where I was seated, impressed upon us in his speech that reconnecting all Americans to the outdoors honors our collective national heritage. The President said "few pursuits are more satisfying to the spirit than discovering the greatness of America’s outdoors," which referenced his personal family value of outdoor recreation.
We heard from panelists ranging from the federal government to state leadership, such as New Mexico Governer Bill Richardson; key local influencers such as Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, New Jersey, and Ernesto Pepito, Youth Program Director of Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
The single most poignant message to emerge from these talks was the imperative to connect urban, underrepresented communities and youth to the outdoors. Pepito, a young Latino male, remarked in his panel that youth need to be represented at the table in leadership talks such as these, and also be introduced to conservation career pathways versus one-time volunteer opportunities. And Gov. Bill Richardson underscored the need for more people of color to be reached, especially in light of America's changing demographics.
After the morning talks from the stage, participants met in smaller groups to discuss in greater detail the most pressing challenges and share solutions -- and senior White House staff was on hand to take notes.
This conference was just the beginning, and as it concluded, many of us felt a tremendous boost of hope and inspiration for the work we already do that is now supported and made visible in a new national agenda. And we learned that in the months ahead, members of this administration will host regional listening sessions across America. They will meet with everyone from tribal leaders to farmers, from young people to businesspeople, from elected officials to recreation and conservation groups.
"And the ideas from these meetings will help form a 21st century strategy for America’s great outdoors to better protect our natural landscape and our history for generations to come, " said President Obama.
Outdoor Afro was honored to be at the table for these inspired and ground-breaking conversations that will result in more Americans discovering a deeper connection to the outdoors, and ultimately to themselves.
SOS - Kayak Edition!
Just received this picture tonight from Brian Drayton of Richmond, California. His family was Spotted on Sunday (SOS) in the San Francisco Bay kayaking!
Thanks for sharing Brian!
The White House Conference on America's Great Outdoors
As many of you have noticed from my Facebook and Twitter posts, today has been filled with a whirlwind of activity!
I know I should be asleep now, but I just had to share some of what made today buzz. It starting with time spent with Hazel Wong who graciously opened her home to me so I could catch up on some missed rest after a red-eye. After a brief nap, Dudley Edmondson and I met up to grab a bite at the famous Ben's Chili Bowl. The two of us finally connected with Angelou Ezeilo, Executive Director of Greening Youth Foundation to sprint off to the pre-conference mixer at the Department of Agriculture where environmental leadership from all over the country and government officials met casually to network in preparation for our meeting time tomorrow. A highlight was meeting my Breaking the Color Barrier colleagues, like Audrey Peterman and Queen Quet. And I was delighted to see Dr. Cheryl Charles of the Children and Nature Network, and Akiima Price of the New York Restoration Project - and there were many, many others.
The evening concluded with the most delightful talk with my hotel roommate Angelou. I tell you, this woman is doing amazing things for youth all over this country.
Looking forward to sharing more about the conference tomorrow.
Note that the event will be streaming live. So check it out!
Happy Environmental Education Week!
By Marty Wiggins
Did you know it’s National Environmental Education Week? Since 2004, the National Environmental Education Foundation has coordinated the week before Earth Day as a time to foster greater awareness of environmental education and to encourage children and adults to enjoy the outdoors.
What is so great about environmental education? The obvious benefit is that it gets kids and adults outside. But research also shows that environmental education and outdoor and community-based learning improves student achievement across the curriculum and can have a positive effect on classroom and social behavior. Adults can benefit as well, as outdoor activities have been shown to improve mental focus and can be therapeutic for those suffering with stress-related problems and physical health issues.
Even though EE Week started on the 11th, there is still time to participate. Here are some ideas:
First, just get outside! In North Carolina, we use our Web site, press releases, blog and other social media outlets to let people know about the outdoor recreation and environmental education opportunities that are out there. Our Web site is also a partner with the Southeast Environmental Education Alliance (SEEA), which has a similar calendar of events for each member state. Wisconsin has also joined in on this partnership, and we hope more states will in the future. If your state is not covered by SEEA, check with your state, local and national parks and natural resource agencies. Also, most states have an affiliate environmental education association and/or a state office of environmental education that may be of assistance. And exploring your own backyard or neighborhood can work just as well. Here are some N.C. based activities for kids (and adults) that work anywhere: EE Parent; Take A Child Outside Activities; N.C. Junior Ranger Activity Book and Model Inquiries into Nature in the Schoolyard (available through a partnership with Virginia Tech). The Children and Nature Network also has tips on places to visit as well as strategies and research that promotes outdoor and nature activities (April is Children and Nature Awareness Month).
North Carolina has proclaimed it Environmental Education Week on the state level, and some cities across the U.S. have also declared it EE Week. The National EE Week site has sample proclamations and press releases. In addition, schools and organizations can still register as EE Week participants at www.eeweek.org. Our office uses EE Week as a kick-off for a whole informal “Environmental Education Month” and promotes Earth Day and Arbor Day events and workshops as well. We encourage schools, colleges, organizations, cities and counties and other government agencies to promote their events through our site. We also do an “EE Month” blog and feature reports and photos from around the state. This has been really popular and helps others plan events for next year.
So, there’s a variety of ways to celebrate Environmental Education Week right in your own neighborhood. EE Week is an opportunity to invest a little time in promoting environmental awareness that will pay off all year in your state and community!
Marty Wiggins is a Community Development Program Manager. He works with the North Carolina Office of Environmental Education within the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Adventures of Owning a B&B - Part 2
"if I have to work for a living, this is not a bad way to do it,"-- Rodney
Here is part two of the delightful interview with Rodney, co-owner of Strawberry Creek Inn, located in southern California, posted earlier this week. This interview wraps up a run of posts that contemplate the intersection of personal passion and the outdoors. I hope you'll enjoy reading this interview about the journey of owning a B&B as much as I did:
What would you describe as a memorable moment at the inn?
It's pretty hard to narrow in on a single memorable moment in this business, since what we are basically selling is a collection of memorable moments. The nervous boyfriend who finally finds the right moment during a stay to propose? The time two guests sat across from each other at breakfast with a gnawing feeling of familiarity, only to discover after talking for 30 minutes that one was the kindergarten teacher of the other in another state?
The first egg laid by one of our hens? The first snowfall of our first Winter here? We're actually having a 'memorable moment' as I write this: while transporting the new batch of chicks to the yard with the older hens a few days ago, the overhead netting caught onto Ian's very-expensive diamond earring (because why wouldn't you chicken-farm in diamond earrings?) and flung it into the hay. Unwilling to accept the loss, Ian is now painstakingly conducting an archeological dig in the chicken yard (which may have to be followed by a forensic examination of collected chicken 'fertilizer'). Memorable moment indeed.
What are some of the challenges of owning and operating a B&B?
I would say the difficulty of finding the time to nurture one's own needs in the midst of focusing on your guests is a pretty universal challenge for innkeepers. But it must be done! Having to wear so many different hats at the same time can also be quite the challenge at times. The hours are VERY long, and the days are filled with interruptions. It's not always easy to personally experience all the great activities and events that attract guests to our area. But if I HAVE to work for a living, this is not a bad way to do it.
If someone were to want to open a B&B, what is the most important piece of advice you would give them?
A lot of my advice your readers have probably already picked up from my previous answers:
- Walk towards your passion
- Don't let other people talk you into mediocrity and conformity ('they only want you to conform so they can then ignore you', as I once heard Seth Godin say)
- Think outside the box, the more outside the better. It will help you get your doors open, and you will need it to survive as an innkeeper
- Have at least one genuine (but honest!) supporter, and check in with them often
- Listen to (and talk about!) those mild stomach pains and uneasy feelings
- Crunch numbers relentlessly, without emotion, and with a healthy dose of conservatism
- Acknowledge and get comfortable with the not-so-subtle difference between a) entertaining carefully selected friends for free and b) asking the general public to pay you for it
- Accept that there will be 'haters
- Try to savor the memorable moments, no matter how fast they go flying by in rapid succession
- Build in ample time off (there are some good innsitters out there who do nothing but travel to different inns relieving over-worked innkeepers) and maintain focus on your own physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs; and finally...
Take your diamond earrings out before you go into the chicken coop!
We hope you will visit Rodney and Ian at the Strawberry Creek Inn sometime soon. Meanwhile, you may join their Facebook fan page or follow them on Twitter.
SOS! Spotted on Sunday: April Showers Edition
I woke up this Sunday morning to the sound of rain that dashed any aspirations I had of heading over the bridge to meet another family at an outdoor children's museum. Not that I mind the rain, I just don't enjoy crowds plus rain. Instead, I will likely take a stroll with my kids around the neighborhood, feel the wind and rain on my face, until I can't resist the urge to jump back inside for a hot cup of tea under a cozy blanket.
But others in the Outdoor Afro community were either unfazed by the rain, or saw brighter weather and Spotted on Sunday (SOS) in the outdoors -- check them out!
Tokiwa was hanging out at Arch Rock in Marin County, California with a friend....
And here is Carter (8) and Cooper (5) in Torrey Pines State Park, La Jolla, California, where I hear there were lots of Outdoor Afros out on the hike today!
What did you do today in the outdoors?
Julia Yarbough: Taking the Highway to a Husband!
I met Julia last fall at the Breaking the Color Barrier Conference in Atlanta, Georgia where she did a dazzling job as conference moderator. When I heard about her idea back then for Highway to a Husband, an adventure across the country to explore outdoor spaces and find a mate, I wondered how anyone as beautiful as Julia might have trouble in the man department? Well, Julia explains why here in this sneak peek into her fun and unfolding adventure in a recent interview with Outdoor Afro:
Why Highway to a Husband now?
Well, I have been single a LONG LONG LONG time, and granted, I spent most of my time working - giving 100% to the TV news industry, but during the time that I have been here in the South Florida area almost fourteen years, I can honestly say that I have not had a real, honest to goodness "date", in which a man calls me up, asks me out, and executes something we are going to go do, in over four years!
I just felt like there must be some sort of disconnect between men and women, because there are all these great, single, attractive, smart, professional, successful, NORMAL women out there, who say they NEVER get dates (me included), and when we speak to guys, they say, "oh, we can't find any good women." Something is amiss. I feel like I am watching perhaps some of the best years of my life pass me by, with no dates, no partner, no companionship, and I thought, well, I can't just sit here and wait for someone to find me, I need to do something to expand my pool of people, expand my chances, put myself where lightening may strike, in order to boost my chances of finding my "Mr. Right."
Tell the Outdoor Afro community a little about yourself
I grew up in Northern California, graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Economics, got into the TV news biz in 1988 (wow, a lifetime ago!), and have called SFLA home since 1998. I love to travel, love the outdoors, bike, run, weight-lift, ski, snorkel, cook, and yes, I even know how to knit!
What are some of the responses to your site thus far?
Overwhelming positive response! The majority of women we tell about our journey say, "OH, TAKE ME WITH YOU!" The men just give us an odd look and the conversation ends. Online, we receive a number of e-mails, expressing appreciation in what we are doing, in that the women who have written say they are in the same boat: mid 40's, professional, good quality women, and NO DATES IN YEARS. There is something CRAZY going on out there and we want to figure out why and what.
Several men have written and said they feel like women do not give them room to express their chivalry, therefore we (women) miss out on some of the good guys, because we are so independent. Other men have said I am trying to hard and just have to be patient and let it come. (my response to that: I've been waiting patiently for ten years - NOTHING - what am I supposed to do???) Other comments: women say men are no longer "HUNTERS” and wish men would take more of a lead. Men say, they appreciate strong, independent women, but once they start dating, want us to become "softer", and let them take over. (somewhat of a contradiction, but we have heard that from many men). Other men have said, "good looking AND smart women are just too intimidating." My response: where does that leave those who fall into that category? Do we dumb ourselves down???? (it's crazy!)
What are some of the goals you have for your site?
By blogging, we are able to share our journey with those who are in the same boat. Not only can they find validation that they are not crazy in their frustrations about their dating situation, at the same time they can enjoy the trip across the country with us - through our blog and photos. Here is one of many videos we will share on our site:
Our ultimate goal: to engage more women and men in dialogue to get to the bottom of this, and help me find a HUSBAND!
Share your dating tales and ideas with Julia, who may be coming to a city near you soon!
The Brothers of Strawberry Creek
An African-American owned, eco-friendly inn and boutique hotel?
After some recent Outdoor Afro Facebook fan chatter about Strawberry Creek, I decided to dig a little deeper and reach out to Rodney Williams, one of the property owners. Rodney was happy to shed light on how the B&B was created in the scenic San Jacinto mountains of Southern California. This thought provoking interview is not only about the inn, but also an opening discussion regarding what is possible to achieve in life in spite of odds or perceptions. Here is part one of our two-part interview:
What inspired you to become an inn keeper?
I was doing actuarial work for a large health insurance company, and just did not feel fulfilled or like I was contributing anything directly positive to the life of the average person. My first attempts at resolving this inner conflict involved looking for an art form outside of work that would hopefully fill in what was missing. That led me to a stint in culinary school in the evenings and on weekends (the art form I always gravitated towards, even before I considered it an art form). It was a blast, the most fun and passion I had experienced in my life so far, but the contrast between my daytime misery and night-time elation only highlighted the underlying issue.
On a last-minute soul-searching trip alone, I stayed in a B&B for the first time. The minute I walked in the skies opened, there was lightning, angels singing, light bulbs--all the 'epiphany metaphors' that come to mind. Without knowing anything about what it took, how profitable it might be, or what it was really like running a B&B, I knew it would bring me joy. Besides, I was already spending a good portion of my salary decorating my house, gardening, cooking, and throwing parties. 'I might as well get paid for it' was my thinking, I guess.
I spent the next six or so years trying to talk myself out of the idea, and having other people try even harder to talk me out of it. As luck would have it, I met Ian at a time when he was starting to re-evaluate his relationship with his pediatric nursing career. After years of caring for and getting close to kids with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, the straw that broke the camel's back was his niece's cancer diagnosis. The already thin wall of separation between professional and personal, perhaps necessary for this kind of work, came crashing down. Now there were two people open to doing the unthinkable. And the rest, as they say, is history.
What is your connection to the Idyllwild area?
Originally, there was no connection to speak of. It seems funny to say that now because we feel so deeply connected to this community, and we very much think of it as home. At first, all we knew was that we wanted to purchase an existing inn with 8 to 12 rooms, close to pristine wilderness. Our preference was to stay in Southern California (for the weather), but we were quickly convinced by 'knowledgeable experts' that we needed to drop that from our list of requirements.
There simply weren't enough B&Bs in Southern California to produce an inventory of properties available for purchase at any given time, and there were really no pockets of affordable real estate left in the region, much less affordable real estate near nature. We must have looked at 20 properties in Washington State and throughout Northern California, with none of them feeling exactly right. Actually, a few felt pretty close to right, but were either over-priced for the revenue they generated, saddled with legal or zoning issues, or in one case, snatched up by another buyer while we were deciding to make an offer on the plane ride home.
Finally our agent advised us that we had seen everything on the market that fit within our parameters (that must be an old realtor's trick to pull out when you think you've got a commitment-phobic client, but he was probably close enough to being right). We chose and made an offer on what we thought was the best choice of what we had seen (in Sonoma County, on the Russian River), and pretty soon we had come to terms on a price, notice had been given at our respective jobs, and our houses were on the market and in escrow (this was 2004, so the Southern California housing market was close to the peak of its frenzy).
Although we both got mild stomach pains every time we drove up to what was about to be our new inn, neither of us brought it up, brushing it off as nerves related to the impending big change. On one level we were relieved when the inspection reports started coming in with details about past floods, termite issues, and badly needed roof work. The sellers were unwilling to re-negotiate the price or to fix anything, so we had no choice but to cancel the deal. The only small problem was that we would both very soon be jobless and homeless! I decided at that point to stop listening to 'the experts' and follow my own instincts more.
As part of our early research, I had acquired a book called 'Great Towns of Southern California', by David Vokac (there's a Northern California version too, as well as a 'Great Towns of America' version for your readers who like discovering great under-the-radar small towns). Idyllwild was the only one of the eighteen towns featured that we hadn't been to or at least heard of. A little online research revealed that several inns had very recently been listed for sale. What did we have to lose? We hopped in the car, and after driving through majestic mountain scenery we thought you couldn't find in Southern California, we reached the most charming village filled with artists, galleries, quaint shops, and nice people! To top it all off, there had been a light dusting of snow the night before. We were hooked. The rest is...well, you know...
What do you think people are most surprised by when they visit the property?
We try to make sure there are as few surprises as possible when people arrive, through our website and our reservations process, but there aren't a lot of pictures of us on our website (something we will definitely re-consider for the next website update). So some of our guests are surprised to be greeted by two young-ish (or so we like to think) African-American males. Most are pleasantly surprised, or at worst indifferent, but there is a small minority who are stricken with the compelling urge to write nasty reviews, letters to the editor, their congressmen, or whoever will listen about our obvious illegitimacy as a B&B and as innkeepers. Of course their complaints never specifically mention ethnicity or age or sexual orientation, and to be fair they probably really believe that what they say is bothering them is truly the underlying issue. They're our version of 'the birthers'. We deal with them the way our President does: overlook the ranting, address the issue about which they are explicitly complaining if it has any legitimacy at all, and then get back to work making sure we are helping to create memorable experiences for our guests.
Check back for the second part of our interview with Rodney. Meanwhile, take a peek at the Strawberry Creek website!
Happy Birthday Outdoor Afro!
The reach and audience of Outdoor Afro is greater than ever before, and comprised of a diverse, smart mix of folks who hail from all over the globe. These last few weeks have represented some compelling milestones for the Outdoor Afro community:
- 1 Year Old
- 100 Blog Posts
- 1000 Facebook Fans
- ...and did I mention a trip to the White House? (more about this later)
But this site would not have grown without the influence and support of some very amazing and inspiring individuals. The first conversation I had that started the OA journey in earnest was with Dr. Carol Finney, who is an amazing human being.
One conversation with her at a local coffee shop catapulted me into the hands of Frank and Audrey Peterman, an enviro power-couple who shepherded a tiny army of us into a monumental conference last September. The relationships cultivated in that conference continue to shape a national agenda about this important area of life, and is the cause of new, dynamic relationships forming that continue to collaborate.
Dudley Edmondson was an early Outdoor Afro contributor with his stunning photography, and he and I became good friends as we have helped one another to reach new audiences in innovative ways.
Last summer, I had the pleasure of featuring Denene Millner of My Brown Baby on her camping trip with her family. To this day, her story has the distinction of being the Outdoor Afro page with the most individual views, totaling over 1K in a single day!
Since then, I have experienced some fun social media partnerships with James Mills, Queen Quet, Dianne Glave, and Danielle Lee; each of these individuals work together to extend the message of outdoor diversity in unique ways to new audiences - - great job you guys!
Lastly, I cannot thank my children enough who have been Outdoor Afro cheerleaders on the playground and rock the gear whenever possible. To my sister, brother, nephews, nieces, childhood friends, classmates, neighbors, facebook homies, and business partners: I thank you all for believing in this effort from the very beginning! And I know my parents are somewhere smiling about this whole affair!
So here is to another year -- with some exciting programs and activities on the way to transform our digital conversations into outdoor action!
Be Well,
Rue
Spotted on (Easter) Sunday
Danielle Lee of Urban Science Adventures shares an SOS moment at the St. Louis Gateway Arch and Jefferson Nation Expansion Memorial with her family!
Danielle is a Biologist and studies Animal Behavior, Mammalogy, and Ecology at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. She is preparing for a career in Science and Science Outreach, and completing her doctoral studies in Biology. Her blog is a web reference for environmental science, environmental education, and ecology.
Thanks for posting Danielle!