Outdoor Afro Welcomes Séla Steiger to the Team
As most of you know, Outdoor Afro has been run on solo steam these past couple of years since it began, and I now am quite grateful to have the help and support needed to sustain and grow this wonderful network.
So I am proud to welcome intern Séla Steiger (24) who brings a wonderful mix of outdoor experience and perspective that is certain to enrich our work here at Outdoor Afro. Séla will be primarily responsible for supporting social media communications and events. Please read her very first Outdoor Afro blog post below then give her a warm welcome! - Rue
Hello Outdoor Afro Community! I am so very glad to join you and introduce myself!
I am Sela Steiger, a Bay Area native and life-long (in all my 24 years!) nature lover. Spending my summers as a youth in Yosemite with my parents who were National Park Rangers, I have basically grown up in a tent; camping, backpacking, and generally exploring the Sierras. I have also spent winters in Tahoe learning to ski, days hiking or mountain biking around Oakland/Berkeley's beautiful foothills and lakes, swimming in the Russian River, and checking out the amazing California coast!
From 2005-2009 I was transported to Oberlin College, a very different landscape. There I managed to get in touch with my rural roots, experiencing defined seasons for the first time as well as the treacherous “lake effect” (Oberlin is about 12 miles South of Lake Erie). On the warmer side of things, I recall many beautiful summer nights lying in the grass, chatting and laughing amidst the crickets. My studies also brought me to Morocco and Spain where I lived abroad for four months in 2008. During those months I sat for many train rides with my eyes glued to the window, and I still remember my awe and inspiration taking in the rich and exotic scenery of these marvelous countries.
I realize, as I write these words, that being myself in nature and enjoying the outdoors has always been an integral piece of my identity and self-discovery. As I recall these wonderful outdoor memories, I can’t help but think about the many that have yet to unfold!
I am so happy to meet and greet you all! I hope to contribute my knowledge of the outdoors to the Outdoor Afro community and share my passion for adventure. I can’t wait to connect with like-minded folks like you all!
Two Environmental Education Narratives from the Bronx
Contributed by Alex Kudryavtsev, a native of Russia and PhD Candidate at Cornell University.
Alex conducts a participatory research project in the Bronx and elsewhere on how urban environmental education programs develop a sense of place in youth. I am also glad to work with Alex as part of EECapacity, an EPA-sponsored project led by Cornell University's Civic Ecology Lab to support ways EE can be more relevant to urban communities.
Both Julien's and Andre's narratives (as an educator, and a student, respectively) illustrate how they appreciate, fight for, and educate communities about urban natural aspects, environmental justice, urban outdoor recreation, and green infrastructure in the Bronx.
What other urban environmental education success stories do you know about?
The Rainy Season Gathering: Connecting People and Land
The following is re-posted from the Bay Area Open Space Council Blog - start from the bottom and work your way up! It's the next best thing to being there!
It's raining in the Bay Area! The Rainy Season Gathering brought the rain to Berkeley. It's official. (for those of you reading this from out of state and wondering why this is even being talked about, it hasn't rained since mid-December. it's been bone dry. we're very excited that it's raining!)
More importantly though, we had a very full room of 100+ people to talk about cultural relevancy today at the Brower Center in Berkeley. One attendee said it was "my favorite Gathering yet." The panelists spoke from the heart - causing some in the audience to tear up at a few points - and spoke from experience in connecting people to land, and land to people. The panelists were:
- Avery Cleary, Director of Grassroots Outreach and Engagement, Children & Nature Network
- Sam Hodder, California State Director, Trust for Public Land
- Jared Lawson, Executive Director, Pie Ranch
- Rue Mapp, Founder, Outdoor Afro and Program Officer, Foundation for Youth Investment
- Paul Ringgold, Vice President of Stewardship, Peninsula Open Space Trust
A BIG thanks to Avery, Sam, Jared, Rue and Paul for their time and for telling their stories. Thank you to Back to Earth for catering a delicious lunch. And thanks to everyone for taking the time in your busy lives to participate in this conversation.
The presentations from Paul Ringgold and Sam Hodder are available on our Events page. Scroll down to Past Events to find the Rainy Season Gathering.
The next Gathering will be on March 15 at the Brower Center. The topic will be social media and registration is now open. Who's coming?
*
12:04pm: Bettina is wrapping up with some themes:
- So much is possible if we work together
- We need to continue to listen to each other
- We need to remember to connect with nature ourselves
LUNCH!
12:02pm: For the record, it hasn't started raining yet here in Berkeley.
11:57am: We have one more question and then lunch will be served. I'm guessing that there will be a swarm of people who ignore lunch and instead surround the speakers. There is a lot interest in this topic and these speakers have told some powerful stories.
11:54am: There have been so many great questions! And a rich conversation about so many aspects of connecting people and land: race, class, privilage, power, funding, scale, farming, how to get more kids out onto farms, transportation, ecosystem services, venture philanthropy, regional funding, urban spaces, rural spaces, feeling safe, ... so much more. I wish that I could type faster so I could capture it all.
11:27am: Avery is thanking Jared and opening it up to questions.
11:26am: Jared is wrapping up. Applause!
11:17am: We are watching this film about Pie Ranch:
11:16am: Jared described his upbringing and those transformative experiences he had in the natural world. I can't even try to capture what he said and is saying. He's way too eloquent and speaks too fast for my fingers :)
Because of Jared's experience as a kid, Pie Ranch has integrated all kinds of youth programming into its mission and programs. Clearly he is doing soul fulfilling work.
11:07am: Avery is now talking about how important farms and food are. And now she's introducing Jared Lawson from Pie Ranch. Do you know Pie Ranch?
11:06am: POST is very interested in working with small farmers and increase this connection between people and land. Paul wrapped up - applause!
11:02am: Paul: "How do we create mechanisms that would allow young or cash poor farmers to build equity? Keep farmland affordable? In large part this is inspired by our work with Pie Ranch which we'll hear more about soon."
POST has conducted a lot of research about what tools exist around the country and what role POST can do to support small, sustainable farming operations.
10:56am: Paul is sharing slides that show the growth of the Bay Area. The maps he's showing highlight the agricultural lands of the Bay Area, and those under the Farmland Protection Program:
"One of the concerns we hear at POST is that we are focused on the land. We haven't been focused on communities. And we're working to change that."
10:54am: Paul admitted that he is from Los Angeles. And he used to play under the Hollywood sign when he was young boy. TPL has worked recently to protect that open space and park and Paul thanked Sam and TPL for their work on that.
10:53am: Avery is now introducing Paul Ringgold from POST. Here is his bio:
Mr. Ringgold joined POST in 1999 undertaking various land acquisition projects. He continues in this role as well as being responsible for land stewardship planning and land management oversight. Prior to coming to POST he was a policy research associate at the Pinchot Institute of Conservation in Washington, D.C and served as a land manager and ecosystem research program director with the University of Washington. Mr. Ringgold holds a Master of Forest Science degree from Yale University.
10:52am: "We are going in and listening," said Sam. He talked about a few of their projects. And he wrapped up. Avery thanked Sam - applause!
10:46am: Sam Hodder: "The Trust for Public Land is in its nature dependent on partnerships. This is particularly important in urban settings and that's what I'm going to talk about today."
10:42am: Sam wants to acknowledge the Open Space Council and how it took their involvement to actually make some rain. It's not here yet, but they say it's coming!
"When we think regionally and think outside the box, this regional collaboration becomes a national model," said Sam.
Here is Sam's presentation:
10:41am: Welcoming Sam to the mic!
10:39am: Avery Cleary is back at the podium and is talking about Richard Louv's new book, The Nature Principle. Have you read it? Avery then thanked Rue. And is now introducing Sam Hodder from the Trust for Public Land.
10:37am: Rue is talking about authenticity. Real relationships cannot be faked. She closed by saying that she invites everyone her to join her in this work. Applause!
10:34am: Rue is also Program Officer at the Foundation for Youth Investment (FYI). FYI used to be a part of the Stewardship Council but has split off on its own.
"Sometimes it is assumed that by getting young people outside that they will transform their family. It's not always the case. We need to include the whole family in the outdoors," said Rue.
10:29am: Rue grew up in Oakland but had a family farm in Lake County. Then she went on an Outward Bound trip and that was a life-changing experience. She has also loved technology since she was very young.
10:27am: Rue Mapp is now speaking. She has a slideshow of images going in the background submitted by Outdoor Afro community members. And she just asked the attendees - all 100+ of them - to call out their first outdoor teacher. There were lots of names and places called out ranging from Mr. Smith to ocean and many more.
10:23am: Avery Cleary is now speaking and talking about the Children & Nature Network. "Today's topic is the most important topic we could possibly talk about."
10:20am: Bettina Ring, our fearless Executive Director, is speaking to the group about the work that the Open Space Council. Our conference is coming up on May 10! More informaiton about that can be found here.
Bettina is introducing Avery Cleary, the Director of Grassroots Outreach for the Children & Nature Network. Here's Avery's bio:
Avery is the founder and Executive Director of Hooked On Nature. She is a member of the C&NN Grassroots Leadership Team and co-founder of the San Francisco Bay Area Children in Nature Collaborative. Over the past two decades Avery has been a spokesperson and advocate for reuniting people and nature. Avery has a background in early childhood education and community organizing. Her work has taken her into boardrooms, city council and law enforcement offices, juvenile justice programs, neighborhood meetings, classrooms, and living rooms where she has witnessed time and again the power people have to inspire each other when they feel hope, focus on solutions, and explore ways to integrate nature into their lives.
10:00am: Good morning! And welcome to the first Gathering of the year - our Rainy Season Gathering! This is Annie Burke and I'll be blogging this morning with quotes, photos, and links.
- Avery Cleary, Director of Grassroots Outreach and Engagement, Children & Nature Network
- Sam Hodder, California State Director, Trust for Public Land
- Jared Lawson, Executive Director, Pie Ranch
- Rue Mapp, Founder, Outdoor Afro and Program Officer, Foundation for Youth Investment
- Paul Ringgold, Vice President of Stewardship, Peninsula Open Space Trust
The program just started. Ready?
MLK Holiday: A Good Day to Serve
Posted originally on the 2012 King Holiday. Where will you serve in 2013? Stay tuned for an upcoming blog of Outdoor Afro activities this year!
~*~*~
Tonight I am still feeling lifted from my experience this Martin Luther King Jr. memorial morning when I joined over three-hundred people from all walks of life to beautify and restore a section of Richmond California's Greenway.
Everywhere I looked were scenes of people of all races, ages, classes, and persuasions cheerfully coming together; helping and learning from one another while doing the environment a world of good -- just as King would have wanted it.
Did you devote a part of this day to service? If so, what did you do?
Still. Moving.
When I saw this nighttime image of Ocean Beach in San Francisco, it took my breath away. Using real film, the artist Africano Fotografia, set his shutter to bulb for five minutes, and here is what we have (click for larger image):
Africano Fotografia produces the blog Vibrant Hopes & Forfeited Dreams. The work aims to provide historical photographic documentation of African-American culture in modern times through photojournalism. It also strives to inspire and encourage community building, and social change among future generations of people and communities of color through empowering, historical photographic documentation.
Webinar: Evolving Environmental Education Practices in Urban Communities
Want a space for the sharing of ideas, experiences and to build knowledge through a collaborative and democratic process that promotes equity and respect? If so, join the launch of the Urban EE Collective’s Professional Learning Community (PLC):
Thursday, January 19TH, 2012
4:00 PM TO 5:30 PM EST, 1:00 PM TO 2:30 PM PST
Limited Spaces Available
REGISTER HERE BY JANUARY 17TH
There is an immediate need for more collaboration among our community, and we are already learning from each other. This online Professional Learning Community is a natural step forward to continue advancing the field of urban environmental education. Through chat, wikis, blogs and webinars, we will be able to grow as practitioners and members of our own urban communities, while helping increase the capacity of our network.
Register today for the opening webinar, where you will learn all you need to know about this PLC and about the EECapacity project, as well as hear a presentation on the evolving practice of EE. Please make sure you register soon to secure a spot. If you are unable to attend, be sure to register as a member of the PLC to access the recorded webinar after the presentation. For more information, send us an email to: [email protected]
Download the flyer for additional information regarding programming and presenters!
The Snowy Day
The Snowy Day, by author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983) is a book I loved to read as a child, and in recent years have enjoyed with my own three children.
Today marks the book’s 50th Anniversary, and is the first children’s picture book of its time to feature an African American boy hero. What inspires me today about the narrative is its tribute to the carefree way urban youth independently experienced nature in winter.
Using collage as a medium for illustration, Keats tells the story of young Peter who leaves his apartment alone to join neighbors across the hall to play and explore outside in the snow. Bundled in snowsuits and scarves, he and his friends make patterns in the snow using their feet and sticks and marvel at their creations. Peter is so inspired by the snow, he takes a ball of it home as a souvenir, only to find it goes “missing” later in his warm home.
According to the Washington Post, Viking Press has issued a special edition of the book that includes eight pages of supplemental material, including the magazine photos of a little boy that inspired Keats and a fan letter from poet Langston Hughes. “The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats,” the first major U.S. exhibition about Keats, opened this fall in New York and will travel to Massachusetts, California and Ohio in 2012 and 2013.
Everyone should own a copy of this celebrated tale; for both its historic importance and vision for how urban youth might re-connect freely to nature today.
2011: The Year of Relevancy
Dear Outdoor Afro Friends,
2011 has been a terrific year! Through the power of social media, we have seen our community steadily grow, and help people make culturally-relevant connections to nature and outdoor recreation.
In our second year, Outdoor Afro has a lot to be proud of, and we are so grateful for the organizations and individuals who continue to make a difference to connect African Americans, and everyone to the outdoors.
The following is a selection of some of the fun, people, and inspiration we have enjoyed this year.
Trips
We were proud to partner with California Camp Association to produce our first two trips designed to share the experience of RVing with more Americans. Through a focused media campaign, we were able to tell our story in the mainstream RV industry, and other media, to inspire others by showcasing an alternate and bug-free "base-camp" approach to camping!
In the spring, we were invited to cover beautiful Barbados, and Outdoor Afro correspondent Danielle Lee, with passport in hand, took on the island and shared with us a wonderful tribute.
This year was also the launch of our first Meet-Up group in Northern California to inform the creation of forthcoming MeetUp groups in other parts of the country. We hosted three test trips this year, each one progressively more successful and fun than the last! We rode bikes through urban centers, discovered new birds right in our backyard, and hiked to the rocky coast line after tasting local cheeses.
Partnerships and Collaborations
From the very beginning, it has been critical for Outdoor Afro to build relationships and partner with local and national organizations that genuinely care about diverse participation in the outdoors. I am especially grateful in 2011 for the work we have been able to do with the East Bay Regional Park’s naturalist Bethany Facedini, the Children in Nature Collaborative, Urban Tilth, Richmond Spokes, Children and Nature Network, the National Park Service, National Wildlife Federation, and the American Camp Association, to name a few.
Keynote Speaking
In January, I had the pleasure of speaking at the American Camp Association National Conference in San Diego to discuss how camps can recognize and cultivate diversity. For black history month, I was humbled to share a podium in Oakland with National Park ranger, and longtime Bay Area activist Betty Soskin. In the summer, I shared the importance of relevancy with the National Association for Interpretation in California and in the Delmarva region on the East Coast, I shared with black college students how they might turn their passion into an environmental-related career. Finally in the fall, I headed to Seattle, Washington to have an exciting conversation with the good folks at Groundwire to discuss how we can imagine the role of technology in nature.
Media
This was a terrific media year for Outdoor Afro! We were featured in national and local media outlets such as KQED, NPR; magazines and shows such as Heart and Soul Magazine, Childhood Matters with Nurse Rona Renner, Audubon Magazine, Grist, the LA Times, and more! We were also glad to be a regular guest blogger for Jack and Jill Politics, whose African American politically saavy readers welcomed us and were inspired to think of vacation in a different way. And in an especially proud moment, we were honored to be distiguished as Best Green/Nature Blog by the Black Weblog Awards:
A Birthday Tribute
In October of this year, I turned 40 – and boy was it fabulous! Thanks to my dear sister, Delane Sims, and friends, a surprise Outdoor Afro fundraiser was thrown at the African American Museum and Library to help send more families to my beloved Feather River Camp, where I camped as a child and still take my family today. That night, I felt surrounded by so much love, and we raised over $1500 to help more urban families experience camp. Check out our photos!
Onward…
As you can see, Outdoor Afro is experiencing a time of growth and it will remain a part of the important conversations and actions to connect more diverse audiences to nature and the outdoors.
And as a fortunate mother of three active children, Seth, Arwen, and Billy -- and manager of the grantmaking program at the Foundation for Youth Investment, this work is my life, yet there is no way I could do it alone. I have been blessed to have so many more supporters and allies besides those mentioned here, and whose names would require a separate blog to adequately express my appreciation.
In 2012, expect Outdoor Afro to continue to grow as an organization, while also expanding the conversations, possibilities, and actions to better reflect what America looks like in nature.
Won’t you join me?
Thank you ALL for the many words and deeds that make this work possible!
Yours in Nature,
Rue Mapp
Founder
Point Reyes Adventure: Cheese, Hiking, Wildlife, and Oysters!
It is always gratifying for me when the digital conversation leads to action, especially when it involves connecting folks to nature!
At the start of the week, I had the pleasure of leading twenty-four Outdoor Afros on a day trip to Point Reyes National Seashore in California via the local MeetUp group. Many in the group had never visited Point Reyes, in spite of the short drive from where many of the participants live, and our Point Reyes veterans took delight in spending time in the outdoors with a group of people who look like them for the first time.
To prepare for the trip, I tapped into the expertise of Point Reyes visitor guide’s Facebook and Twitter pages, and with their help, mapped out a plan to take advantage of a variety of local offerings to suit our group’s interests and abilities.
Our group began our outing in the center of town at Cowgirl Creamery with a round of warm introductions. There, we were greeted by friendly welcoming staff who offered a variety of artisan cheeses to taste. We learned about the unique techniques of the creamery and the local bacteria in the air that makes Point Reyes cheese special and delicious. After choosing from a variety of tasty lunch options at the creamery, our group headed 15 miles north by car to the Pierce Point Ranch Trail to begin our hike.
The car ride to the trail was bucolic, with rolling hills and dozens of cows scattered over the landscape – a couple of calves had even broke free from their fencing and had claimed the road, allowing our caravan some up close photos.
Further along the road we ran into National Park Ranger John Elby, an African American gentleman who joined our group at the trail head and provided additional insights about the area, and answered our questions. Many were surprised and delighted to see a black ranger (another first for many), and asked him about his chosen career working for the Park Service.
We found the Pierce Point Ranch hike adaptable - the mostly flat turnaround route allowed people in the group to adjust their stroll to their level of comfort and ability. The paved trail was framed by the Pacific Ocean on one side, and Tomales Bay and its hillside farms on the other. We saw some incredible wildlife as well, such as a reserve of Tule Elk, a whale, a weasel, and several raptors circling overhead. The group captured many stunning views in photos. Here are some great pictures captured by social media maven Adria Richards - check them out.
After a brisk hike for many, several group members headed 10-miles down the road by car for an optional visit to Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, the last cannery in California. There we were greeted warmly, sampled small, medium, and large oyster varieties, and received a lesson in oyster shucking. Several Outdoor Afros purchased oysters to enjoy at home.
As the sun began to set to chill the air, our caravan split up to head in the direction of home, inspired by nature, great company, and delicious food.
Outdoor Afro thanks Cowgirl Creamery, Drakes Bay Oyster Farm, National Park Service Ranger John Elby, Adria Richards for all these amazing photos, and the enthusiastic participants who each reported back the wonderful and fulfilling time they had in nature. Outdoor Afro Sunnie said, “It was a beautiful hike. Everyone in the group was so friendly and warm. I had a great time.”
I could not agree more.
After Turkey Kayaking
About a dozen Outdoor Afros met this sunny, crisp morning in Oakland, Calif., for a post-Thanksgiving paddle. We had a wonderful mix of folks of all ages, and embarked on a one-hour kayak with stunning views of the Oakland skyline reflected on the glassy waters of Lake Merritt.
The trip reminded me that connecting with others to get outdoors is easy and fun! If you are in Northern California, join our Meetup Group; and elsewhere, connect with Outdoor Afros on our Connect page.
Thanks to the Lake Merritt Boating Center staff for their great service and orientation for our group!