The Best is Yet to Come
Happy New Year! I am so excited about all that lies ahead for 2010. I've got some pretty cool stories in the works to provide more inspiration and visibility of people of color outdoors, as well as some new partnerships to help make it easy for people to get outside.
In 2009, Outdoor Afro was born as a simple Blogger blog and has since been transformed using Wordpress and Facebook. The experience of developing the site has opened up a new universe of possibilities for many. To discuss and participate in the outdoors is simply who I am, and it is a rare gift to find work that is so fun, it feels like play. I am tremendously grateful for all the people who have passionately supported this project from the start, which genuinely strives to make a positive difference in the lives of people through the outdoors.
Thank you, and I wish each of you the very best for 2010!
Rue
Merry Christmas and Happy Kwanzaa
I don't know about you, but I have been caught up in the exciting rush of holiday activities! Like Thanksgiving, I can't wait to bring our family and friends together to catch up, eat great food, and laugh until our sides hurt. Unfortunately this means less time for writing, and I finally realized that it's perfectly OK to take a little vacay from the keyboard - I just need to let folks know so they know I'm alright -- and I am more than alright!
That said, I wish all Outdoor Afros (the coolest people on the planet), the experience of love, peace, and blue skies this holiday season.
Be safe and enjoy continued blessings!
Rue
Great Books as Holiday Stocking Stuffers!
I have to disclose up front that I am pretty biased about these three book recommendations because I am privileged to know each of the authors as partners through the development of Outdoor Afro and our shared passion for people of color and the outdoors. But aside from my excitement and gratitude for these folks, they have each produced some pretty extraordinary work well worth buying for your loved ones this holiday season.
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As many of you know, Frank and Audrey Peterman have been at the forefront of outdoor conservation and advocates for greater diversity in our National Parks. Their recent ground breaking conference energized and organized a constituency that supports more people of color to get out and enjoy our natural resources. The work of this couple, and their enlightening book, Legacy on the Land, will inspire you.
$19.95 USD - Click to Purchase!
Shelton Johnson has been with the National Parks as a ranger for decades, but his recent appearance in the Ken Burns Documentary and recent meeting with President Obama, brought his role as a conduit of historical Yosemite's Buffalo Soldier to new audiences. His book, Glory Land, is a beautifully written historical narrative that's fun to read aloud.
I blogged about Dudley Edmondson some months back, and since then we became good friends. But every now and then someone will come up to me with a copy of his book The Black & Brown Faces in America's Wild Places and ask, "have you seen this before?" Well, indeed I have! And it enjoys a prominent spot on my coffee table so my guests and kids can look at amazing photos of people of color in wild spaces whenever they want.
Three different books about similar passions to engage everyone in your family. Can't decide? Go to your local, independent book store and buy them all!
Matthew Reese: Snowboarder
Matthew Reese of Seattle, Washington might have gone his entire life without laying a foot on a snowboard. In a recent phone interview, Reese said he used to think: black people don’t ski, snow is too cold, and snow sports conflict with basketball season! But earlier this year, at age 30, his snowboarding co-workers finally convinced him to trek up to the slopes with them on a trip that changed his perspective regarding what was possible through the experience of snowboarding.
As a long time athlete, he felt confident he could take on a challenging run his first time out, but the mountain humbled him. Reese frankly calls that first time as “pretty horrible” and he even called it quits early in the day to tend to his battered limbs. However Reese was undeterred by the initial bruises, and was determined to try again a couple weeks later with an Urban League group for a Valentine’s Day event. The trip had a good mix people with varying skill levels and was where he found his snow groove that launched a new obsession for the rush, challenge, and excitement of snowboarding.
As an African-American male, I asked if he ever felt discriminated against while participating in the sport: “not at all,” says Reese. He finds that snowboarders are passionate about the sport and welcoming to anyone who feels the same way. The slopes are a great equalizer, however he does admit that it’s hard to be taken seriously in the board stores. Reese humorously recalls shop visits where employees learn after he starts talking, how knowledgeable he is about the sport and quickly change their customer service tune!
Reese is not playing around when it comes to snowboarding -- in just this year, he has traveled to five different mountains and now skis every weekend. A favorite is his local Stevens Pass, but he also enjoys traveling to surrounding states to experience new challenges. For Reese, snowboarding has opened up a whole new path of fun, travel, and networking and he hopes others give snow sports a try as one way to discover new things about themselves, and the world around them.
Matthew Reese’s tips for Outdoor Afros who want to get started snowboarding:
- If you are not certain about the sport, renting gear initially is fine
- As soon as you know you want to continue with the sport, buy your gear as you’ll save money over time
- It may be a big initial investment, but if you shop around, you’ll find many deals
Still not convinced black people and the snow mix? Do you have other ideas and tips to share? Comment about it!
Reconnecting at Mammoth Caves
The Tennessee Aquatic Project is a youth organization that engages at-risk and inner city youth with a wide range of outdoor and civic activities to enhance personal development.
After meeting up at the Breaking the Color Barrier Conference last September, Ken Stewart of the Tennessee Aquatic Project (TAP) and Jerry Bransford, a Mammoth Cave National Park guide, decided to join forces and send over sixty youth on a trek up to the Caves. The youth were able to hear first hand the intriguing story of Bransford's slave ancestors who were important contributors to the cave site.
“African Americans played a vital role in the development of cave tour routes and the visitor experience throughout the 19th and early 20th century. The first black guides were slaves, and through their efforts opened up the golden age of cave exploration for Mammoth Cave” (NPS website) The TAP youth camped out the rest of the weekend, enjoying outdoor activities led by Stewart during the day, and joined by Jerry Bransford in the evenings to hear more about his family history at the caves.
Learn more:
Tennessee Aquatic Project
Black History at Mammoth Cave National Park:
It All Comes Out in the Wash
I was going to write about sustainable landscaping – and I still will, but something else came up:
The Laundry.
Washing clothes is actually my least favorite chore right along with mopping the floor, taking out dripping trash, and investigating that “noise” in the middle of the night. Thus, I view the laundry task through a ‘necessary evil’ lens. But I like when it’s done. The problem is, it’s never done! I think I handle laundry fairly well for a household of four, but every time I get the last bit folded and put away on a Sunday night, the basket is already nearly half full with a new load, which is a real buzz kill.
Can’t you tell I could use some excitement in the laundry department?
So imagine my delight to stumble upon some countryfied laundry soap, made with old-school attitude by a sustainable minded sister from Los Angeles. And before you go glossy eyed on me: No, this is not an ad…in fact, she doesn’t even know how sprung I am on her mission. Yet.
I actually heard about Renee Gunter and her sustainable landscaping and water saving from Outdoor Afro community member, birder, and backyard innovator Cindy Hopkins, but when I dug deeper, I found her Old School Brand blog, which is an adventure that takes us back to the days before the soap opera of TIDE improvements to a place I had completely forgotten existed. I admit that I had long ago bought into the jingle's message that "Tide gets it clean", but lately I have wondered to myself: at what cost?
Laundry might have taken all day in the basement, or in the backyard back in “Big Mama's” youth because of the contemporary technology and orthodox methods needed to produce no less than perfectly starched, white collars. But in spite of the toil, it was sustainably done without health and environmental consequences.
How did our grandmothers produce sparkling laundry without chemicals leeching into our water systems? Or without irritating delicate skin? I have a hunch Ms. Gunter has captured their solution in her soap. She makes the soap in small batches with kind ingredients for use with the modern convenience of a machine.
After reading her blog, I have to admit I felt like a laundry wimp who has conveniently avoided the real deal of laundry duty experienced by the women of my heritage. Her blog chronicles the presence and skill of African American women in the activity of cleaning laundry, and hanging it to dry outside, with some gorgeous historic photos. She writes about the matriarchs of her family, all of whom were maids who migrated from Arkansas to the Los Angeles area, and recalls sitting and watching the meticulous cleaning her mom and aunts did for wealthy whites that relied more on skills and sweat equity than on products.
So to gain some laundry cred, I am ordering Old School Brand soap this week! And when I get it, maybe I’ll go a bit further to save quarters, reduce my household footprint on the environment, and let the unmentionables hang outdoors for the sun to bleach, and all the neighbors to see, as one more way to help make the world healthier.
For more information: Old School Laundry Soap
Click Picture to Order
Outdoor Afro Halloween!
Some folks my age think Halloween is radically different now than when we were kids, but it really isn’t. Kids still love and anticipate dressing up, getting a ton of free candy, and a sanctioned roam of the streets after nightfall. For me and my friends, it’s one of those childhood activities that keep evolving over time, with more elaborate parties to attend and more decadent costumes to fuss over as adults.
As a child, I actually don't recall my parents ever dressing up, maybe it was a generational thing, or the fact they were Christians from the South, but every Halloween, I got dressed up as one thing or another. My earliest memories include donning my mom’s frosted wig that magically transformed me into a witch, then being led by my big sister’s hand from door to door. Later, in the early 80’s, Star Wars characters dominated the scene, and me and my girlfriends were Princess Leah at least once.
My childhood neighborhood on Halloween had knots of roving children, with nearly every home participating in the candy giving. But in recent years, especially in certain areas, the joi de verve of Halloween has long gone as kids have grown up and moved away from those 80's neighborhoods. The adults who remain, hurry home from work and dim the lights – the universal signal of “don’t even think about knocking at my door” and others, like the Johnson family who just moved into a lovely East Oakland home in an older nieghborhood, are disappointed that costumed children don't come knocking, in spite of overflowing bowls of candy near the door. Reminiscing on last year, Lisa Johnson said, “We were pretty surprised that not even one child stopped by.”
So this Halloween, Outdoor Afro challenges you to create a Halloween or Harvest Festival friendly block! Yes, in some areas safety issues are real. But while you might not be able to change your entire city for one day, you can influence your neighbors. Start by making sure that every child and grandchild on your block knows in advance your home is open for candy business with simple decorations, or by turning your house lights ON. If you have kids or grandkids, take them to each home on your block. Alternately, partner with a favorite neighbor to make a spooky/kooky yard, or an impromptu party for both kids and adults.
If your neighborhood is not Halloween ready this year, then check out what some of the local churches, parks, and community centers are doing. The YMCA , zoo, or local congregation will certainly have a program to engage your whole family. The bottom line: don’t allow adult jadedness or fear to rob the joy of Halloween from kids. And who knows, you might even end up having some fun with the little goblins too!
What does your neighborhood do during Halloween? Leave a comment below!
Trick or treat!
Etiquette Tips For Camping with Friends and Family
You can’t change your friends and family, but you can change the way you camp with them. Some moderate planning can make a big difference in your camping experience together. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your camping trips with loved ones:
Shared Space
In some areas, the outdoors still has boundaries, and it’s important to honor both the environment and neighboring campers. If you are planning to visit a drive-up or RV campground, make sure you have reserved a site that can accommodate your entire group plus equipment, to avoid encroaching on neighboring sites. It’s also nice to offer neighbors a hand with tents or with getting a campfire lit. Good stewards leave no trace of trash, but leaving a bit of firewood for the next group in your spot is always a welcomed gesture.
Food
Plan your meals together at home and share the shopping tasks so there are no surprises. Meat eaters might eat vegetarian fare, but don’t expect your vegetarian friends and family members to eat the steak and bacon you brought, even if it is free range and hormone free! Decide on meal plans that accommodate everyone.
Kids
If you have kids, and are planning to camp with folks without children, discuss logistics, such as the possibility of hands-on help with recreation or watching over little ones. If everyone is bringing little ones, get a watch routine together, so all the adults can plan for breaks in the action.
Music
If your camping mates are all persons of color, don’t assume folks want to hear Li'l Wayne on blast all weekend. Bring acoustic instruments, like a hand drum or guitar that can be enjoyable and easy to play, even if you are not an expert. Singing or telling stories, while gathered around a campfire is classic, and timeless.
Booze/Drinks
Some drink, others don’t; some like Bud Light, others like Grey Goose. Discuss and get clear regarding alcohol consumption preferences, and know your campground policy on alcohol in advance (see Nancy's comment below!).
Above all…just chill
Camping trips are a time to let go, and go with the flow. You might stay up 'til the wee hours to stargaze; your kids might eat a ton of s’mores, and all of you might laugh louder than you ever would at home after a long day at work. Enjoy it all! The best part of my own camping plan is to leave the city constraints behind and have fun!
What are some of your tips and experiences when camping with friends and family?
Meet National Park Ranger Marty Smith
Just for a moment, close your eyes and conjure up an image of a park ranger...got it? What picture comes to mind? For some, an immediate image is the no-nonsense Ranger Smith, the nemesis of Yogi Bear. But there is nothing at all fictional about Ranger Marty Smith, Park Ranger of the Martin Luther King National Historic Site.
Smith, a Detroit native, visited national parks occasionally with his family, but never imagined he would grow up to become a steward of one. But fate stepped in when a college professor told him about opportunities with the National Park Service, and he hasn’t looked back in two decades of service. On a recent trip to Atlanta for a conference, my group was fortunate to have Ranger Smith as a tour guide at the King Site. His knowledge about the details of Dr. King’s boyhood was a perspective not usually shared in textbooks. “King did not just emerge from a vacuum,” Ranger Smith said. In his tour of the King childhood home, he told stories about the day-to-day life of the King family home, now restored with many original furnishings, and of the neighboring homes to show how solid family and community support nurtured Dr. King to become the visionary leader for which he is remembered.
Not exclusive to the wilderness or rough terrain, National Historic Sites fall under the domain of the U.S. Park Service, and can be found anywhere, including urban centers, like the King site, which is comprised of both renovated historic and recently built structures and monuments. Located within a couple blocks of each other is the King childhood home, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and the Visitor Center. These areas, and the surrounding monuments are federally protected, and make up the site tour that conveys the magnitude of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.
According to Smith, the Park System has also acquired more neighboring homes over the years, each now in various stages of restoration, with plans to recreate the look and feel of the neighborhood as it existed during King’s early life. Dr. King is actually buried at the neighboring King Center, which is within the park area, and founded by the late Coretta Scott-King after her husband’s assassination.
Ranger Smith is glad to share the message of Dr. King’s legacy with people from all walks of life. “Everyone comes here,” he says, “from dignitaries to celebrities to everyday people.” And Ranger Smith takes pride that the park tours are helping add greater depth and awareness that extends beyond what is commonly understood about Dr. King. He especially enjoys helping youth get involved with the site through the Youth Conservation Corps. Overall, he hopes visitors leave his tours understanding the elements that helped to develop King: a strong family, solid community, and a spiritual foundation, then take these values back home to nurture youth as torch bearers and leaders of the future.
Want to learn more? Visit the Martin Luther King Historic Page
Carolina Chocolate Drops "Cornbread and Butterbeans"
Okay...I consistently hear black folks say they don't like country music, but this modern-hip trio just might make you rethink your position! I know, a music post might seem slightly off topic at first glance, but this song, and many others like it, actually refer to a relationship African-Americans had with the land that was also connected to the ways we related to our food, and ultimately to one another.
"...ride the mule and 'cut the fool' and love begin' all over..."
Enjoy!
Thanks Obafemi Origunwa for passing on the link!