2024 award recipients for Outdoor Afro’s 10th annual fundraiser Glamp Out announced
Each year during Outdoor Afro’s fundraising gala, Glamp Out, the national not-for-profit organization recognizes outdoor leaders who have accomplished extraordinary impact work across U.S. communities. These nature innovators have contributed to Outdoor Afro’s mission to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature. Since the organization's 10th annual Glamp Out will synchronously honor its 15th anniversary as a national movement, this milestone event will roll out the red carpet to uplift the amazing experiences, scholarship, and stewardship of the following award recipients Friday, Oct. 25, at the Claremont Hotel in Oakland-Berkeley Hills:
LEADER OF THE YEAR: MICHAEL CHEEK
DMV volunteer leader Michael Cheek became Outdoor Afro's 2024 "Leader of the Year” for providing excellence in volunteerism and for his dedication to strengthening Outdoor Afro’s mission work. "My initial reaction to this recognition is one of gratitude," said Michael when he received the news. "Words can't express how grateful I am for the love, support, and encouragement I have received from Outdoor Afro, its volunteer leaders, and its participants the last 8 years." Michael added: "I am also appreciative that I was given the freedom to plan and facilitate activities that represent who I am and what I personally enjoy about the outdoors. My hope is also that this recognition showcases yet another vision of what Black joy in the outdoors looks like."
PARTNER OF THE YEAR: NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation (NPF) received Outdoor Afro's 2024 "Partner of the Year” award for demonstrating meaningful partnership for years now that has helped Outdoor Afro create transformative, joyful, and life-changing nature experiences nationwide. "It’s an honor to work so closely with Outdoor Afro to inspire and grow a diverse and passionate community of national park enthusiasts, leaders, and stewards," said President and Chief Executive Officer Will Shafroth of the National Park Foundation. "Together, we will work to ensure that all people feel welcome in our national parks and other public lands."
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT: DR. RAE WYNN-GRANT
Wildlife ecologist and research scientist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant earned Outdoor Afro’s 2024 “Lifetime Achievement” award for her enduring impact in nature; strong leadership and advocacy work; and mentorship and community engagement as powerful examples of joy and impact in the outdoors. “I had a moment of stunned silence when Founder and CEO Rue Mapp called me about this recognition,” said Wynn-Grant. “When I think of this honor, I’m envisioning people who have lived long, full lives like previous Glamp Out recipient Dr. Mamie A. Parker. She has devoted so much valuable time to the outdoors. Then, I thought about it: It's not to question but accept that I’ve lived several different lives in a short amount of time. What a great honor to receive this reminder about the importance of community and fellowship – exactly what Outdoor Afro is – and to continue to work toward environmental goals that bring us all together.”
Glamp Out stands as Outdoor Afro’s signature annual fundraiser. The always-special occasion will honor 2024 success stories and revisit past accomplishments in the organization’s history – in pioneering leadership, sincere partnerships, and outdoor community programming. The 10th annual affair will toast to Outdoor Afro’s now 15-year nature achievements, sharing with attendees how it evolved from Mapp’s kitchen table blog to a nationwide nature organization. Glamp Out’s 2024 goal is to raise more than $250,000 in support of its yearlong and healing community programs. Funds raised during the event will support:
MAKING WAVES: The organization’s promise is to teach every child and caregiver within its sphere of influence how to swim. The program was developed in 2019 by Mapp after learning through CDC research that Black children now drown at a rate almost 8 times that of their white peers due to historical barriers. To date, Making Waves has awarded hundreds of “Swimmerships” (or swim lesson scholarships) around the country. The program funded 1,500 new swimmers this year.
OUTDOOR AFRO LEADERSHIP TRAINING: Now in its 12th year, this training teaches more than 100 men and women from across the United States how to guide their local communities safely and sustainably – for healing and greater health of all people and the planet. Contributions help Outdoor Afro’s network of volunteer leaders expand their training to include wilderness first-aid, recreational water activity skills, and model aspirational nature opportunities.
MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING: Outdoor Afro’s ongoing nature narratives include inspiring stories documented through its website and social. The organization encourages community support to continue to amplify neighborhood voices and share the powerful experiences its volunteer leaders guide in local communities. Together, Outdoor Afro wants to remind the world that Black people and communities everywhere are strong, beautiful, and free.
SIGNATURE CAPSTONE EVENTS: These experiences introduce volunteer leaders and local neighborhoods to the exploratory possibilities in nature, changing the face of who can become an outdoor explorer. In the past, Outdoor Afro has prepared more than a dozen climbers to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro and certified 26 leaders as canoe or kayak instructors. Glamp Out helps advance the skill-building, confidence, and growth opportunities through pioneering models of adventure.
Each year, Glamp Out welcomes more than 250 supporters, cultural champions, nature leaders, elected officials, and celebrities. Everyone coming together on behalf of Outdoor Afro’s mission. It’s also a chance for Outdoor Afro’s national community to exercise generosity within the outdoors. Glamp Out purposefully recognizes individual and community contributions to the not-for-profit organization – Outdoor Afro’s way of upholding one of its key values of changing the narrative of who leads in outdoor spaces.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
Outdoor Afro searches for visionary Chief Operating Officer to lead not-for-profit's pivotal ‘Year of Innovation’
Outdoor Afro is where Black people and nature meet. It’s also where a new Chief Operating Officer can help strategically guide the national not-for-profit organization’s daily operations. “We’re now in search of a Chief Operating Officer who can partner with me as an executive leader,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp, “an individual who can lead and manage our talented team. Someone who is also a skilled organizational manager.” In its “Year of Innovation” and now 15th year since its founding, Outdoor Afro seeks a leader who can inspire and drive innovation internally for high-impact program results. This role involves optimizing operations, providing financial oversight, and leading development, partnerships, and board engagement.
Outdoor Afro is seeking a candidate who can ensure operational efficiency, strategic alignment, financial health, strong board relations, high-performing teams, domain expertise, and thought leadership. The organization started as a blog and social enterprise by Mapp. She incorporated Outdoor Afro in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) and has led it since as CEO. The organization has grown from that blog and three founding board members to 12 full-time staff and a 13-member Board of Directors. Outdoor Afro's operating budget has grown from a modest $110,000 in revenue in 2015 to now $4 million – largely from foundations, individuals, and corporate partner support.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Outdoor Afro seeks new board members
National not-for-profit Outdoor Afro is in search of experienced and innovative board members. The organization seeks those who can provide strategic guidance and strong governance in service of celebrating and inspiring Black connections and leadership in nature. “This is an opportunity for strategic and experienced leaders from all fields to embody their personal love for the outdoors," said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp, "embracing the adventurous spirit of Outdoor Afro, our programs, and our board with excitement and integrity." New board members will help support Outdoor Afro’s mission by giving time and resources toward governance, strategy, fundraising, and network-building. As the nation’s leading organization where Black people and nature meet, Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people year-round to land, water, and wildlife through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Outdoor Afro amplifies Black joy and connection to each other and nature by sharing powerful stories of community-building and leadership outdoors.
The now 15-year organization creates programs that uplift togetherness and collaborates with partners to scale collective impact. Outdoor Afro has made historic and sustainable strides since its founding, achieving 10 times more growth in its last five years. Serving on the board today is an invaluable opportunity to grow the organization’s strategic insight, exemplify best nonprofit governance practices, and build connections for funding, partnerships, and visibility. Board members will leverage personal networks; promote Outdoor Afro’s work; build mutually beneficial partnerships with corporations and community organizations; support and oversee the CEO; ensure a high-functioning governance structure; evaluate the organization’s opportunities and risks; and exercise fiduciary responsibility by ensuring financial accountability.
Outdoor Afro is looking for board members who will advance the strategic pillars from its recently completed strategic plan, including building staff and organizational foundations; strengthening the accessibility of Outdoor Afro’s brand and programs; and maintaining long-term financial sustainability. Outdoor Afro retained Potrero Group, a national strategy and search firm, for this opportunity. While many nonprofits recruit board members through their own personal networks, Potrero Group believes an open board search is a critical chance for organizations to expand their network, raise their visibility, and multiply their impact. Click this link to learn more information about the position and how to apply. Interested candidates should apply by Aug. 19, 2024, for priority consideration. Email Potrero Group Founder and CEO Cleveland Justis at [email protected] to share recommendations.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Save the Date: Outdoor Afro's 10th annual fundraiser celebrates its 15-year org history
Glamp Out stands as national not-for-profit Outdoor Afro’s signature annual fundraiser. In its 10th year, the fashionable gala will take place Friday, Oct. 25, at the Claremont Hotel in Oakland-Berkeley Hills at 6 p.m pacific time. The always-special occasion will honor 2024 success stories and revisit past accomplishments in the organization’s history – in pioneering leadership, sincere partnerships, and outdoor community programming. “This is a milestone year,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “I can’t believe how fast time has flown as we have forged ahead in our work and impact for the past 15 years, setting a high bar for reconnecting more communities with nature.”
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The 10th annual affair will toast to Outdoor Afro's now 15-year nature achievements, sharing with attendees how it evolved from Mapp’s kitchen table blog to a nationwide nature organization. Glamp Out’s 2024 goal is to raise more than $250,000 in support of its yearlong and healing community programs. Funds raised during the event will support:
MAKING WAVES: The organization’s promise is to teach every child and caregiver within its sphere of influence how to swim. The program was developed in 2019 by Mapp after learning through CDC research that Black children now drown at a rate almost 8 times that of their white peers due to historical barriers. To date, Making Waves has awarded hundreds of “Swimmerships” (or swim lesson scholarships) around the country. The program’s 2024 aim: supporting 1,500 new swimmers.
OUTDOOR AFRO LEADERSHIP TRAINING: Now in its 12th year, this training teaches more than 100 men and women from across the United States how to guide their local communities safely and sustainably – for healing and greater health of all people and the planet. Contributions help Outdoor Afro’s network of volunteer leaders expand their training to include wilderness first-aid, recreational water activity skills, and model aspirational nature opportunities.
MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING: Outdoor Afro’s ongoing nature narratives include inspiring stories documented through its website and social. The organization encourages community support to continue to amplify neighborhood voices and share the powerful experiences its volunteer leaders guide in local communities. Together, Outdoor Afro wants to remind the world that Black people and communities everywhere are strong, beautiful, and free.
SIGNATURE CAPSTONE EVENTS: These experiences introduce volunteer leaders and local neighborhoods to the exploratory possibilities in nature, changing the face of who can become an outdoor explorer. In the past, Outdoor Afro has prepared more than a dozen climbers to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro and certified 26 leaders as canoe or kayak instructors. Glamp Out helps advance the skill-building, confidence, and growth opportunities through pioneering models of adventure.
Each year, Glamp Out welcomes more than 250 supporters, cultural champions, nature leaders, elected officials, and celebrities. Everyone coming together on behalf of Outdoor Afro’s mission to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature. It’s also a chance for Outdoor Afro’s national community to exercise generosity within the outdoors. “Because of our partners and supporters, our team has moved the organization to achieve record-breaking results through generative and healing community programming with operational excellence,” Mapp said. “It’s an exciting time to look forward to the future and celebrate with our community the accomplishments we’ve achieved together.”
Glamp Out purposefully recognizes individual and community contributions to the not-for-profit organization – Outdoor Afro’s way of upholding one of its key values of changing the narrative of who leads in outdoor spaces. Throughout the summer months, Outdoor Afro will use its social platforms (@outdoorafro) to surprise 2024 attendees with Glamp Out’s roster of special guests. “Our whole community programs welcome everyone,” said Mapp. “Leading to lasting, positive change for people and the environment, Glamp Out celebrates our community impact while helping us continue to build durable relationships between people and our planet.”
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has grown into a cutting-edge nationwide network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
Outdoor Afro asks America to commemorate Juneteenth 2024 by visiting local waterways with family, friends
What’s that one place of peace for you in nature? Specifically those local waterways of joy and tranquility? During Outdoor Afro’s fourth annual Juneteenth 2024 commemoration, the national not-for-profit organization encourages U.S. communities to plan visits to those special shoreline lakes, swimming holes, and familiar streamlets to strengthen connections to neighborhood water sources. “This year’s Juneteenth commemoration will continue to reflect, educate, and reconnect about the significance of this day,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “Outdoor Afro will also elevate both conversations and actions about local waterways to reach a new generation of confident swimmers, explorers, and conservationists.” The organization is revisiting its theme “Freedom to Access Water” on June 19.
CONTRIBUTE TO BLACK JOY IN NATURE
Outdoor Afro’s only ask: Spend 2.5 hours at a water site that you enjoy individually or with family and friends. This number of hours represents the number of years that freedom delayed for 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas. The news of freedom didn’t make it to the coastal city until June 19, 1865 – 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation (signed Jan. 1, 1863) went into effect. “It’s important to remember that the federal holiday isn’t a celebration but a ‘commemoration’ to remember what it meant for Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, to realize their additional years of enslavement long after slavery had been officially abolished,” Mapp said. “Today, Juneteenth at Outdoor Afro is an invitation for everyone to reflect on the value of freedom for all.” The observance day also launches Outdoor Afro’s sixth annual Making Waves program, which teaches Black kids and caregivers within its sphere of influence how to swim.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black children drown at a rate more than 8 times that of their white peers. This statistic ties to the historic prohibition of Black entry onto public beaches and into public pools. Making Waves’ Swimmerships (swim lesson scholarships) offer a series of beginner swim sessions – typically four to eight classes – funded by Outdoor Afro and in collaboration with select U.S. swim providers. Officially launching immediately after Juneteenth, Making Waves’ goal is to fund up to 1,200 new swimmers nationwide until the end of the year. “In addition to the urgency to save lives, we know that if a child does not know how to swim, they won’t cast a pole in a lazy lake, ease into a tippy kayak, or care about the crisis of plastics filling our oceans,” said Mapp. “We are clear that a positive relationship with water starts with learning how to swim. Outdoor Afro is proud to continue to support this endeavor that both our people and planet gravely need.”
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives. Illustrations by Dajah Callen.
5 facts you probably didn’t know about Outdoor Afro’s founder, CEO, public lands champion
She’s an awarded speaker, leader, and public lands champion. When Rue Mapp speaks, U.S. neighborhoods lean in a little bit closer to listen. Some start note taking. Others are ready to take local action. All in the name of strengthening relationships to outdoor recreation, conservation, and education. Her words of wisdom resonate with communities across the country. So in honor of “Women’s History Month,” we wanted to share more cool tidbits about our fearless founder, CEO, and author of “Nature Swagger.” Mapp has led Outdoor Afro, a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature, for the past 15 years now. An innovative accomplishment in itself. We thought you would really enjoy hearing about these fun facts tied to Outdoor Afro’s mission work – and discover the foundation to her continuous ability to change the narrative in nature through a Black joy and leadership lens.
SHE GREW UP IN AN AGRICULTURAL FAMILY.
Southern-nurtured, California-raised, Mapp cultivated early bonds with nature from both rural and coastal viewpoints as a kid. Her family migrated west from the Jim Crow South in search of greater economic opportunities in America. Her dad: a true outdoorsman from East Texas. Her mom: a consummate Southern belle and homesteader from Louisiana. The two would have made the quintessential couple in those wild west Spaghetti Western days. Her family settled in the Oakland Hills, giving Mapp (a first-generation Californian) instant admission into the world of coastal redwoods. She spent her weekends at the 14-acre family farm her father bought and transformed into the ultimate outdoor getaway. Fruit trees, a bountiful garden, a tennis court, swimming pool, fishing holes, and hunting trips were everyday childhood adventures. The family also raised cattle and pigs for provisions. “Everything the family wanted to do in nature was available on that ranch,” says Mapp. “Everyone could visit and spend time there. It became my template for Outdoor Afro, and what welcoming and hospitality meant.” Her family’s land became an open invitation for multigenerational joy, togetherness, creativity, rest, healing, discovery and wonder.
SHE IS A OUTDOOR GEAR DESIGNER.
On the family farm is where Mapp learned from the elders traditional techniques to fishing, cooking, and even designing her own doll clothes. Her mother was a seamstress, who taught Mapp the basics to sewing. Mapp’s first shot as a fashion designer happened in the ’90s. She owned San Francisco-based bridal shop Rulette Wear. While making bridal dresses, she started designing outdoor gear for her snowboarding friends. In 2021, she returned to her fashion drawing board. This time with more knowledge about the differences apparel can make for the Black outdoor community. That same year, she founded for-profit enterprise Outdoor Afro, Inc., and launched a hike collection in collaboration with outdoor retailer REI Co-op to bring more universal styles to outdoor spaces. The initial 22-piece collection included fleece pullovers, polo shirts, graphic T-shirts, trail pants, hiking leggings, and hiking boots to solve for fit, function, fashion, and accessibility. A mashup of iconic ’80s and ’90s silhouettes with modern accents, the collection considers the range of body shapes and explores a broader range of fit modeling, bold colors, and materials that work with textured hairstyles.
SHE HAS EARNED A LOT OF NOTABLE NATURE RECOGNITIONS.
For more than a decade, Mapp has been recognized with mounds of distinctions and awards. She won the international Bessie Awards in the JourneyWoman category by global lifestyle and travel brand Wanderful during 2023. Two years prior, AFAR titled her as its 2021 Travel Vanguard Award recipient. Two years after that, she received the 2019 National Geographic Fellow, Heinz Awards Honoree in the environment category, and National Wildlife Federation Communication Award recipient (received alongside President Bill Clinton). During 2018, University of California, Berkeley, honored Mapp with the Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by Young Alumni. Go back two more years, and The Roots selected her as “one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the country” for the second time. Her first time making this particular list happened in 2012. That same year, Hidden Villa honored her with its Josephine and Frank Duveneck Humanitarian Award. Outdoor Retailer — North America’s largest outdoor industry trade show – awarded Mapp its 2013 Inspiration Award in the business category. One of her earliest acknowledgements came from the National Wildlife Federation, which named her Wildlife Champion in 2011.
SHE SERVES AS A MENTOR TO MOST.
Mapp is a mother, newly minted grandmother, and everyone’s favorite auntie. The visionary founded Outdoor Afro in 2009 when she was also raising three children. She made sure each participated alongside her in network events as she grew her brand. Mapp shared with digital media brand Fatherly in 2022 exactly “What the World’s Greatest Adventurers Teach Their Kids," which she still applies today with extensions of her family tree. She continues to introduce the possibilities in outdoor fun with friends and family. Emphasizing hospitality and belonging with every experience. Teaching the importance of taking ownership in local land, water, and wildlife. “My children also learned early that everyone has to work together to produce high-quality experiences in nature,” she told Fatherly. Through Outdoor Afro, she has paved the way for the organization’s selected and trained volunteer leaders to guide their neighborhoods in nature safely and sustainably. Mapp also has opened community and digital doors for volunteers – and thousands of nature lovers and new adventurers – to develop wilderness, recreation, and life-saving skills; access safe, appropriate gear and equipment; free or discounted access to private outdoor spaces; and acquire historical and civics information to take better care of the public and community spaces we all love.
SHE ONCE WORKED IN FINE DINING.
A phenomenal cook, Mapp can whip up sweet-to-savory dishes by the campfire or in the kitchen. That finger-licking-good food. Interestingly, she spent two years in fine dining when she worked as a food server at Zuni Café in San Francisco, California, during her early 20s. Judy Rodgers, who owned Zuni Café at the time, was the protégé of Alice Waters – the owner of Chez Panisse and a MICHELIN-starred restaurant located in Berkeley, California. “Alice Waters is considered the mother of California cuisine,” said Mapp. “I found the work fascinating. Zuni Café had a menu that changed every day, twice a day. Working there helped me appreciate much of the food (soul food).” Primarily because that style reappeared on the restaurant menu and in mainstream American cuisine as part of the farm-to-table movement. Mapp still dines at Zuni Café to this day. One of the key pointers she learned from that job: the art of improvisation and flexibility with ingredients. On top of the value of using the freshest ingredients, including whole, minimally processed foods. At home, Mapp enjoys making gumbo and tomato sauce from scratch. When Mapp is cooking outdoors, she loves to prepare a large home-style breakfast – a pot of grits, bacon, eggs – over a stove or morning campfire. “It’s comforting to help folks wake up to the smells of a delicious breakfast,” she said. “The experience never disappoints.” Bonus tidbit: Mapp won a ribbon at the Alameda County Fair for her cornbread recipe. More about that morsel of delicious information another time.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Wanderers Welcome: Tracking winter wildlife at Upper Saco Valley Land Trust with Outdoor Afro’s ‘Frozen Chosen’
Crunch. Crack. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crack. Crunch. Crunch. The traction-spiked hiking boots shuffled at a potato chip chewing cadence. Oddly melodic as the animal tracking morning picked up pace. A warning from Outdoor Afro volunteer leader Mardi Fuller, 44, as she guided the March 2 New Hampshire winter experience: “Don’t consider moving to New England if you’re not a fan of winter,” the four-year leader said. “We have plenty of it throughout the year.” Winter sports to coincide as well: ice climbing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, and mountaineering. All offered through Fuller’s Outdoor Afro Boston network. Community participants who sign up with Fuller are guaranteed innovative nature adventures with the diehard hiker. Sustainably and safely. During January 2021, Fuller became the first-known Black person to scale all 48 New Hampshire peaks – 4,000-footers – in the winter. See. In good hiking hands.
Annually, Outdoor Afro’s Northeast Region arranges area opportunities for cold-weather outings that help beat the “winter blues.” Recasting shorter days into celebrated, snowy moments with brand-new friends. “I’m a multitasker,” said Fuller. “The simple action of walking in the snow allows me to settle down and get into this meditative mind frame.” That Saturday, she exercised this form of nature medicine with three network frequenters – Xander Bennett, Keenan Augustus, and Thai Koenig (left to right in the above image with Fuller flanking the far right side). Better known as “The Frozen Chosen.” Together, the four toured the Chain of Ponds Community Forest Conservation Project. This soon-to-acquire property of Conway, New Hampshire’s Upper Saco Valley Land Trust blankets 625 acres. The land trust’s goal is to raise $1.3 million from local foundations, state grant makers, and individual contributions by November 2024 to purchase and permanently conserve the landscape.
Chain of Ponds covers an ecologically significant glacial trough valley in neighboring Madison, New Hampshire. Connected to its forestland and inland waters, the project features headwaters of Pequawket Brook and Silver Lake’s North Inlet. The valley itself includes roughly 110 acres of wetlands; 25 acres of cliff and talus slopes; glacial eskers; surface waters and wetlands; 300 acres of mapped aquifers; and approximately 4 miles of surface water frontage along several streams and ponds. A peerless outdoor playground. Once the purchase completes, the public can access newer sites for biking, paddling, hunting (white tail deer, ruffed grouse, and small game like rabbits), fishing (Eastern brook trout and pickerel), and winter hiking. And only 3 minutes away from Madison Elementary School, experiential learning abounds. Mike Morin, 43, served as the land trust’s conservation director and assured that Chain of Ponds would become a nature backyard to a lot of local families.
The 20-year land conservationist added: “This site will provide interpretative education, allow us to implement better forest health management practices back into the community, and continue to expand our mission that already includes conserving other forestlands, popular recreation areas, and working farmland." The land trust developed in 2000 as a grassroots initiative to preserve land for community enjoyment and education. Specifically in the watershed of the upper Saco River in both Maine and New Hampshire. The following year it gained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Within a decade, the land trust preserved 38 land projects, doubling that number by 2019. To date, the trust has conserved more than 12,000 acres in its 11-town service area. Steadily advocating for local agriculture and water quality concerns as part of its mission work. Back at the Chain of Ponds site, the Frozen Chosen breathed in the 40-degree air (unseasonably warm for Northern New Hampshire in early March when 20 degrees is more likely) and trudged along an abandoned rail corridor.
The track once carried traveling skiers from Boston to North Conway, said Morin. Part of the early 20th-century history of Gilded Age hotels like the Omni Mount Washington Resort and the beginning of the ski industry. A train stop to the left of the track brought the Outdoor Afro group to a beaver lodge on Cranberry Bog. Each whipped out their animal track pocket guides provided by the land trust’s Community Steward Carissa Milliman, 39. The former educator equipped the day’s guests with New Hampshire Fish and Game Department wildlife literature. “With this piece of land being so accessible, Chain of Ponds is a great place to connect with nature and find stillness,” said Milliman. Nothing matched the track patterns listed. The group tactfully circled and observed the conical-shaped beaver home. Then moved on. Two more ponds ahead: Blue Ponds and Mack Pond.
Chemical engineer Keenan Augustus, 31, advanced with excitement in his eyes. “You know,” he said with every microspiked step, “these types of activities with Outdoor Afro help me get back to our roots. Black people have always been travelers, explorers, and navigators.” Cold-weather comrade Xander Bennett nodded in agreement. Augustus has participated in Northeast network activities for almost two years now while Bennett entered his first year in 2024. Bennett’s introduction to Outdoor Afro started with an ice climbing event with Fuller earlier this year. Then, uphill skiing. “I previously approached the outdoors from individual activities,” said Bennett. “Mardi and Outdoor Afro have helped me gain the courage to get in this space through group experiences.” The win-win: learning new skills with folks who feel like family.
The Chain of Ponds camp took a break bankside for hot tea, snack bars, and more fellowshipping. Sharing favorable reactions to the property. Flashbacking to previous network fun. Already making new Outdoor Afro activity plans. The youngest of the Frozen Chosen, Thai Koenig, 24, dusted snow off her hiking pants, gathered her belongings, and started to lead the band back to the site entrance. But, wait! A scat IDing moment presented itself mid-trip. Was it a red fox? Bobcat? Coyote that traveled their route? The four couldn’t really figure it out from their wildlife scat cards. The majority leaned toward the red fox. Good guesses. “It’s so important to build community like Outdoor Afro does,” said Koenig, all smiles. “Our network is always happy. Mardi makes me feel comfortable and safe while trying something new.”
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Outdoor Afro counts down to 2024’s annual leadership training in this pivotal Civil War, small college town
That family reunion time of year is almost here: Outdoor Afro Leadership Training (affectionately nicknamed OALT) for national not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro. “2024 is extra special because this training will mark 15 years in nature for us,” said Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “We’re also returning to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Training Center, which is where we’ve hosted past OALT events throughout our organizational history.” OALT will take place Friday, April 12, through Sunday, April 14, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia – the oldest town in the Appalachian Mountains state and a historic Civil War area. Shepherdstown also serves as home to the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). The center leads the nation in education and training for natural resource managers to meet the goal of conserving fish, plants, wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of the American public. The quintessential venue for Outdoor Afro to provide nature-based learning and skill-building experiences to veteran volunteers and newest leadership cohort in its “Year of Innovation.”
Annually in April, OALT teaches all volunteer leaders how to guide their local communities in nature sustainably and safely during modern times. This year’s training will greet nearly 40 new volunteer leaders to Outdoor Afro’s 100-plus Volunteer Leader Program roster. Volunteers will travel from Northeast, South, Midwest, and West regions, bringing with them subject matter expertise in education, law, business, medicine, and agriculture. “This year’s cohort includes innovative rock climbers, foragers, skiers, roller skaters, paddlers, cyclists, and mountain bikers,” Mapp said. “They’re also parents, spouses/partners, students, and caretakers. What they all bring to OALT is a shared passion for our mission – to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature.” OALT will equip these outdoor trailblazers with strategies that authentically reconnect Black communities to nature through planned and guided year-round adventures across America.
With the support of staff, board members, and select partners, seasoned volunteers and the Class of 2024 will learn Outdoor Afro’s framework, values, and best practices to lead outdoor activities in their neighborhoods. OALT's outdoor scholarship also includes risk management, health impacts on nature, basics to trip planning, conservation ethics, and pro tips for effective social media storytelling. Last year, OALT gathered at IslandWood in Bainbridge Island, Washington. The year before in Granby, Colorado, at Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountains. Along with these charming nature backdrops are opportunities for volunteers to gain field insights and career encouragement from Outdoor Afro’s designated partners and expert guest speakers announced right before the training begins.
Volunteers follow up OALT with original network activities like fishing, camping, animal tracking, and backpacking once a month in their Outdoor Afro networks. Whatever their community genuinely wants to learn about to strengthen local relationships with land, water, and wildlife, networks offer it. These nationwide network events concentrate on joy and healing while also disrupting a false perception that Black people do not have a relationship to nature. A formula that has worked for the past 15 years now. Mapp founded Outdoor Afro in 2009 and developed OALT in 2012 with a dozen outdoor enthusiasts – each literally answering the call to learn directly from her how to create and lead nature activities with hospitality at the forefront of the experience. “OALT is one of those events that everyone involved always looks forward to attending every single year,” said Mapp. “The intergenerational fun and outdoor learning is life-changing.”
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Outdoor Afro’s Georgia networks offer silver- and small-screen views to capture nature, Southern living
The future naturalist framed up the plant IDing scene with such fervor. Conviction. Even care. Every google-eyed expression and conductor hand gesture queued plant life. As if it was taking center stage. His soft smile pulled community participants into the Lionel Hampton Greenway Trail. The old-growth storyline voice-overed by Southern hospitality. “So, this is actually turkey tail mushrooms,” said Outdoor Afro volunteer leader Dajawn Williams, 27, “and guess what? It’s edible.” “Edible!” One hiker blurted in the background with an unsure side eye. Williams’ grin deepened with a few promising head nods. Oohs and ahhs then bounced around the forest floor. Promptly, he waved the group of 23 local explorers into a direction of more shocking nature sights along their 2-mile urban wander. This Feb. 10 Black History Month activity taught Atlanta attendees how to recognize special species within their Outdoor Afro network and neighborhood greenspace. The experience also unearthed Black contributions connected to the nature preserve.
To that point, the greenway trail is named after former landowner and famous Black jazz musician Lionel Hampton. Hampton donated much of the right-of-way for the trail during 1993. Designed today for cycling, hiking, agritouring, and picnicking. The historic Black district and site on Atlanta’s west side features the most archaeologically significant Civil War trenches in the region. “This area’s infrastructure included a mill, cemetery for enslaved Black people, and a rock quarry,” said guest speaker, naturalist, and local historian James Tyler. “After the Civil War, Black farmers who lived south of Atlanta moved up to become railroad and mill workers.” Over time, these stories evolved into backdrops to what’s now designated as the “Hollywood of the South.” It’s been more than a decade that metro Atlanta’s mushrooming film and TV industry generated blockbuster momentum. Primarily because of the Peach State’s benevolent tax break.
Major studios popped up and big-budget projects like “The Hunger Games,” “The Walking Dead,” and the Marvel franchise settled into their new Southern home. During 2022, Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” became the highest-grossing movie with a female superhero lead at the U.S. box office – the latest example of the high-earning films attracted to Georgia. In recent times, production opportunities have tapered off for some creatives, too. However, Gov. Brian P. Kemp reassured Georgians that the silver- and small-screen industry is forging ahead: “Georgia remains a global leader in film, TV, and streaming productions,” said Kemp in a Sept. 13, 2023, press release by the Georgia Film Office. “Those who benefit most from the significant growth we’ve seen in this industry over the past couple of decades are hardworking Georgians who fill the many behind-the-camera jobs that come with each project. That’s why we’ve worked hard to attract these and other opportunities for those who call the Peach State home.”
Last year, the state celebrated 50 years of the Georgia Film Office, a strategic post within the Georgia Department of Economic Development that helps mature Georgia's film, TV, and commercial production industries through marketing, scouting, and coordinating project needs. The office reported productions spent $4.1 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2023. Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, the state hosted 390 productions, represented by 31 feature films, 55 independent films, 40 commercials, 23 music videos, and 241 TV and episodic productions. Travel an hour and some change south into Middle Georgia where Outdoor Afro participants have the chance to explore newer rural trails, farm life, and film tours later this year. Williams’ next stop: Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson, Georgia – a 15-minute ride away from where Netflix's hit sci-fi drama series “Stranger Things” filmed. The nature center provides mountain and e-bike courses; backpacking and camping; and farmstead sightseeing.
Williams linked up with Outdoor Afro’s Founder and CEO Rue Mapp at the nature center. The two went on a site visit to reimagine what foraging, farming, and family-centric activities could look like for his network and others in the organization’s “Year of Innovation.” “I’m continually in awe of the natural resources found in our volunteer networks,” said Mapp. “To visit places like Dauset helps people discover opportunities to reconnect to nature close to home, and be inspired by the natural and human history you can always find in these places.” For 15 years now, Outdoor Afro has celebrated and inspired Black connections and leadership in nature across the United States. The national not-for-profit organization reconnects Black communities to outdoor conservation, recreation, and education through networks located in 60 cities and 32 states, including Washington, D.C. By way of more than 1,200 planned and hosted network activities, volunteer leaders like Williams reintroduce more than 60,000 people to the outdoors annually. “We’re on a journey to reach more rural and urban communities,” Mapp said. “Nature, travel, tourism, and the shows and movies we all grew up on are ways to imagine new connections.”
After Dauset Trails, a truck ride to downtown Jackson (the state’s outdoor capital) zapped Mapp into the make-believe town of Hawkins, Indiana, from the TV show “Stranger Things.” She toured real-life locations, replaying memorable scenes from the series’ Hawkins Library, back alley, and Radio Shack. The coolest Outdoor Afro clip of the day: Mapp propped with a pizza box and visor inside the iconic Surfer Boy Pizza vanagon, a.k.a. Pizzamobile. Headed back south on U.S. Hwy 23, a pitstop to Juliette, Georgia, revisited Cicely Tyson’s role in the 1991 comedy-drama “Fried Green Tomatoes.” Where the movie’s Whistle Stop Cafe is still open for business and serves Southern cuisine – most notably, of course, the menu’s crispy fried green tomatoes. Described in one word: De-lish! The final destination for Mapp’s agritourism and film-guided driving tour traveled 42 miles east along backcountry roads to Milledgeville, Georgia. The fourth capital of the state and where actress Julia Roberts’ character, Vivian, in “Pretty Woman” said she came from.
Mapp drove through camera-ready site Central State Hospital. Established in 1842, the campus became known as the “world’s largest mental institution” by the 1960s. It included more than 12,000 patients, 6,000 employees, and more than 8,000 acres of land. By 2010, the dilapidated complex closed. Four years later, “The Originals” (spin-off to The CW Network’s “The Vampire Diaries”) filmed episodes at the hospital. Interestingly, the eerie site still produces a pecan grove that attracts the community, schools, and families to year-round nature activities. “That’s the thing about nature,” said Reginal Black, 59, who joined the Feb. 10 Outdoor Afro plant IDing activity. Black relocated to Atlanta from California to live closer to family. “Nature ties us all back to our local histories and community stories,” he said. “Why I’ve been attending network events like this one with the organization and Rue since 2009.”
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ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Black History Month 2024: Outdoor Afro uplifts ag contributions of George Washington Carver
Outdoor Afro opens its “Year of Innovation” celebrating internationally recognized inventor, educator, and botanist George Washington Carver during Black History Month 2024. “Our organization encourages U.S. communities to reflect on your own connections to Black history – the heroes and trailblazers like Carver who are in your lives now and whose legacies continue to inspire and shape our collective journey,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. Carver developed more than 300 commercial, industrial, and food products between the late 19th and early 20th centuries using the peanut. Many of the items he created are still used in nature today – by Outdoor Afro’s staff, team of volunteer leaders, and community participants across the United States. Earning the nickname “The Peanut Man” (although he didn’t invent peanut butter), Carver originated cooking oils, beverages, paper, soaps, cosmetics, dyes, paints/stains, and even medicines. He also released 44 nature bulletins that reported cultivation findings for farmers, recipes for housewives, and science information for teachers.
Carver originated the modern term “regenerative agriculture.” His care for farmers and farmland in America’s Black Belt Region achieved sustainable agriculture practices like crop rotation to restore nutrients into soil. He hurled into history books by becoming the first Black person to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in 1894. Researching fungal infections of soybean plants, he advanced his knowledge by identifying and treating plant diseases. He advanced his education by earning a Master of Agriculture two years later. Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Alabama offered him a faculty position, which he held for the rest of his life. The university established an agricultural school with Carver leading an all-Black faculty. His classroom lessons put emphasis on ag students and Southern farmers learning how to implement conservation techniques that replenished crops and community farmland.
Just as Carver introduced rural producers and young scholars to new ways of tending the land, Outdoor Afro competitively selects and trains volunteer leaders annually who guide more than 60,000 people in U.S. communities through contemporary network activities. Reimagining activities like gardening, foraging, fishing, u-pick farming, and bird watching. Designed to strengthen relationships and stewardship of local land, water, and wildlife. In its 15th year, Outdoor Afro’s flagship Volunteer Leader Program prepares roughly 100 volunteer leaders to connect and reconnect Black people to nature. Each volunteer plans and hosts year-round adventures across the organization’s four regions: Midwest, Northeast, South, and West. Volunteers hold at least 12 network outings a year within their neighborhoods. Outdoor Afro includes 32 networks located in nearly 60 U.S. cities.
“As we embrace Black History Month at Outdoor Afro, it's important to recognize that celebrating the achievements of the Black American community is not confined to a single month as our monthly nature activities, programs, and campaigns show,” said Mapp. “It's woven into the fabric of everything we do. Every day. Throughout the year." Mapp added: “However, this designated time allows us to reflect on the journey and accomplishments of Black individuals across time and space, serving as a poignant reminder of both our progress and the boundless potential that lies ahead.” Carver’s story marks the organization’s third annual Black History Month digital storytelling series. This educational and social campaign helps bring awareness about then-and-now Black nature pioneers. Created for readers and followers to remember, learn from, and become inspired to create community impact as Carver did.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.