5 pieces of poolside advice for new Outdoor Afro swimmers
Calling for caregivers and kids: Register to Outdoor Afro’s Making Waves program and graduate with stronger relationships to neighborhood waterways. Since 2019, Making Waves has provided water safety, drowning prevention, and proper stroke technique for beginner poolsters. In short, swimming fundamentals. Outdoor Afro founded the nationwide program because natatorium research revealed rather shocking U.S. community news. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics, Black youth ages 10 to 14 drown in swimming pools at a rate more than 7.6 times that of white children. A public health disparity due largely to decades of exclusion and segregation from beaches and public pools. “After learning of this alarming number and that it continued to grow, Outdoor Afro decided to make an impact within our sphere of influence,” said Founder and CEO Rue Mapp.
The national not-for-profit organization launched Making Waves four years ago in its hometown of Oakland to teach kids and caregivers how to swim at local pools. The program has undergone start-and-stop challenges with COVID. Huddles with identifying qualified swim providers with sufficient and welcoming instructors. Yet, the program has propelled forward. Making Waves has managed to provide lessons at no cost to nearly 400 new swimmers thus far. This year's goal: teach up to 1,000 new swimmers by the end of 2023. In collaboration with select swim providers across the United States, both kids and their caregivers take anywhere from six to eight, 30-minute lessons, valued at roughly $150 for the entire learning experience.
The program covers all lessons designed to teach safety precautions, water confidence, and the correct stroke styles. With each session, Swimmership recipients gain health and wellness benefits. Exercise that increases stamina, flexibility, and strength. Improvements in posture, coordination, and balance. Stress alleviation through peaceful and relaxing movements. Before signing up for this opportunity, carefully read these guidelines for a successful program adventure with Outdoor Afro:
EQUIPMENT
Aside from swimming gear like swimsuits, trunks, ear plugs, goggles, and swim caps for hair protection, pool equipment is minimal to bring to beginner lessons. Swim instructors typically provide useful buoyancy aids. RUBBER RINGS: A great help mate for getting your feet off the bottom of the pool. Fitting snug under your arms, these water rings are a first step to building confidence in the pool. ARMBANDS: Providing body support, this aid gives the advantage of freeing up your arms and legs. As your trust in the water increases, you can gradually deflate bands. FLOATS: This effective aid comes in assortments. Still, each shape offers support to practice arm and leg movements. Outdoor Afro's select providers are Red Cross certified swim instructors who know exactly what types of water devices are best to advance each individual swimmer’s performance and confidence.
SAFETY
When engaged in any outdoor activity, safety is the highest priority. Know and respectfully adhere to swimming pool safety rules. By doing so, you will avoid a lot of dangerous and life-threatening accidents poolside. Even while visiting other waterways such as rivers, lakes, and beaches. Remain honest with yourself about your swimming experience. Stay within your water depth until becoming an adept swimmer. Also, create enough space between you and those who are in sections of the pool like the diving area. Pools are slippery scenes, so absolutely no running. If seaside, never attempt to swim when danger flags are up. And under no circumstance swim solo.
HEALTH & HYGIENE
Not in the best of health, don’t force a Making Waves swim session. That includes ear or nose infections. It’s also not a good idea to swim immediately after eating a hearty meal, which can lead to stomach cramps. As far as cleanliness goes, take a short shower before and after swimming to prevent recreational water ailments. Come gear and equipment prepared by using only washed towels and swimwear. For toddlers, swim diapers are highly recommended to preempt major potty accidents. After every swim lesson, make sure to dry thoroughly, especially between toes. Infections like verrucas and athlete’s foot easily spread in damp conditions.
CONFIDENCE BOOSTERS
The very sight of a pool or open water intimidates some beginner swimmers. Trusting yourself in this new activity is a process. Outdoor Afro’s select swim providers teach confidence-building exercises to strengthen water relationships. Starting with relaxing. Some tasks to expect to increase poolside comfort: WALKING. Avoiding the pool’s deep end as a beginner, shoulder-deep water is a safe space to stand. Then, walking while your arms work underwater starts to develop a first-step sense of security. BLOWING BUBBLES. After getting your shoulders wet, practicing bubble blowing with your chin in the water is another foundational step toward rhythmic breathing techniques. TREADING WATER. With armbands and floats as your initial support, gradually lift and alternate your feet. You will increase your foot speed until holding yourself up without touching the bottom of the pool is achievable.
ELEVATING TECHNIQUES
Once your beginner lessons through Making Waves complete, don’t stop swimming. There’s still more to master. After you’ve become proficient in basic strokes and standard dives, check off these next steps to increase your swimming pool confidence. NO 1. Join your local swim club. They welcome new swimmers and offer additional support. Even new swim buddies. NO. 2. Register for competitions. Once you’re swimming like a fish, enter special events to fine-tune performance. NO. 3. Sign up for advanced diving, underwater swimming, and lifesaving technique coursework. Each reinforces and advances your technique. NO. 4. Explore newer water fun. Watersports like waterski-ing, windsurfing, scuba diving, kayaking, and canoeing help expand physical capabilities and allow you to try outdoor activities you probably would have never accessed before.
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 network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with nature through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
Outdoor Afro’s communications director wins first-place awards at Outdoor Writers Association of America
Candace Dantes, Outdoor Afro’s first in-house communications director, won in two writing award categories during Outdoor Writers Association of America’s (OWAA) annual conference. The wins took place in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Sept. 9, through Sept. 11, 2023. The veteran award-winning journalist and marketer garnered first-place outdoor industry awards in the “Blog, Gear/Technical Contest” for her original digital feature “Made Together: Outdoor Afro + REI Co-op” and “Open Contest” for Outdoor Afro’s 2022 annual report titled “Year of Operations.” “What a homecoming experience these awards are for me,” said Dantes, 39, originally from Milledgeville, Georgia. “I’m deep-rooted in the Georgia Black Belt Region. Where good-old front porch storytelling and community fellowshipping are just a natural part of Southern culture.”
Dantes made history for the national not-for-profit organization – earning the brand’s first communications awards as a OWAA member. She joined OWAA during June 2022. Outdoor Afro at the end of 2021 to elevate its strategic communications direction. As its only full-time newsroom staff, Dantes leads the organization’s Marketing & Communications Department. Within a year, she rebranded Outdoor Afro’s site and social presence. Continues to re-educate digital audiences and the general public about the brand’s nature and community work. Her department contributes to organizational programming by using 21st-century traditional and new media approaches. Increasing brand awareness and online engagement.
Dantes also travels across the United States to capture Outdoor Afro stories, shifting the visual representation of what Black joy looks like in the outdoors. Year-round Dantes launches national Outdoor Afro marketing campaigns like its Black History Month series, Juneteenth commemoration, Making Waves swim program, and Glamp Out fundraiser. In between this year’s social activations and storytelling projects, Dantes served as a first-time judge of trade show Outdoor Retailer’s 13th annual Inspiration Awards in Salt Lake City, Utah. Right before that, Dantes became a 2023 “Black Women in Food” honoree. Cuisine and beverage agency Dine Diaspora recognized 31 innovative women throughout the African Diaspora. Dantes in the “Amplifiers Category” for her contributions to Georgia Black Belt farming narratives of U.S. Department of Agriculture grant project Black Farmers’ Network.
A year prior, nonprofit Women of the West named Dantes 2022 “Journalist of the Year” at the National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas. That same year, Dantes and her brother, certified arborist Edward Morrow, were both featured farmers in Ebony Magazine for its “Queen Sugar” finale coverage. A product of centennial farmland in Baldwin County, Georgia, the fourth-generation farmer and cowgirl has spent childhood to adulthood horseback riding, rodeoing, and gardening. Dantes’ editorial portfolio aligns with her lifestyle, primarily devoted to Southern-based, rural farming communities.
By way of Outdoor Afro, she has been able to leverage her agricultural upcoming and multigenerational experiences to develop interdisciplinary content that links outdoor, travel, and tourism industries. Researching, testing, and writing about modern agribusiness and agritourism possibilities for producers in a now digital economy. Prior to Outdoor Afro, Dantes worked in both higher education and local newspapers. She held posts as editor and publications specialist at both Columbus State University and Georgia College & State University. Digital contributor of Georgia’s legal organ, Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In both industries, the Georgia State University print journalism grad won first-place awards with Georgia Press Association in hard news and feature writing. Subsequent awards with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in “Best Articles of the Year,” “Publication Writing,” “Video Script Writing,” and “Publication Rendering for Mobile Technology.”
Overseas, she joined London’s Black Beauty & Hair Magazine as a beauty writer and style consultant on a Black cowhand campaign for advertising agency M&C Saatchi. She’s collaborated with brands Justin Boots, Wrangler, and Durango Boots. Most recently, worked as content creator for REI Co-op and Cotopaxi. Publications Cowboys & Indians, Cowgirl Magazine, Outdoor Retailer’s The Daily, and Travel Weekly have featured Dantes. She’s helped rural Georgia farmers garner earned media with major media outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Nation, Thrillist, and CNN.
With OWAA, she’s a member of travel outfits Wanderful and Future of Black Tourism. Serves as a communications adviser for America the Beautiful for All Coalition and is a committee member of Blue Sky Funders Forum. For nearly 100 years, OWAA has helped educate, inspire, and share best practices to outdoor creatives. Dantes now helps magnify its mission. “It’s been one heck of a rodeo ride with Outdoor Afro successes,” said Dantes. “As long as I’m able to document our relationships to land, water, and wildlife for newer generations to find inspiration, I’ll continue to put my best boot forward.”
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 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 @outdoorafro and outdoorafro.org.
It's Giving: Outdoor Afro's 24-hour #Give828 fundraiser
National not-for-profit Outdoor Afro observes Black Philanthropy Month via Give 8/28 fundraiser today, Aug. 28, for the first time. The fundraising day celebrates Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations like Outdoor Afro across the United States. In 24 hours, Outdoor Afro aims to raise $1,000 toward its mission to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature. Hosted by The Young, Black & Giving Back Institute (YBGB), this national day of giving is the only giving day focused explicitly to uplift the significance of Black-guided nonprofit organizations. Give 8/28 seeks to stimulate support for organizations working at the grassroots level to empower Black communities in areas such as education, mentoring, economic empowerment, health and wellness, and policy advocacy.
Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people and Black communities to land, water, and wildlife through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Annually, the organization selects and trains more than 100 volunteer leaders who guide their local communities in outdoor activities – like hiking, biking, gardening, fishing, camping, skiing, and more – safely and sustainably. Give 8/28 takes place during Black Philanthropy Month and commemorates multiple historical landmarks in Black Americans’ march toward freedom:
Aug. 28, 1945: Major League Baseball President Branch Rickey met with Jackie Robinson to tell Robinson that he was integrating the Majors.
Aug. 28, 2005: Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. The storm, which devastated New Orleans, disproportionately impacted many of the city’s Black residents.
Aug. 28, 2020: Chadwick Boseman, actor and originator of the modern "Black Panther" character, T’Challa, passed away.
The excessive impacts of experiences such as COVID, gun violence, inflation, and social injustice that Black people have faced and continue to live through illustrate the significant need for resources within Black communities. YBGB Institute Founder Ebonie Johnson Cooper established Give 8/28 in 2018 with 114 participating nonprofits. Each collectively raised $12,700. Every year, Give 8/28 partners with crowdfunding platform Mightcause to provide an infrastructure for the online giving day. In 2020 and 2021, Give 8/28 raised more than $328,000 for more than 720 Black-led and Black-benefitting organizations with support from 3,916 donors.
Last year, it raised $252,629 from 1,702 individual donors. Like the YBGB Institute, Outdoor Afro cultivated its national community online. For the past 14 years now, the nature organization has been on the ground, ensuring neighborhoods are equipped with Black joy and healing opportunities by simply going outside with one of its nationwide networks here.
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 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 in search of Chief Program & Innovation Officer
Nature organization Outdoor Afro designates 2023 as its “Year of Elevation.” As the national not-for-profit’s operational and development season continues, it now seeks a Chief Program & Innovation Officer (CPIO) to join the Oakland, California-based headquarter team. “This is a brand-new and an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth of our nationally renowned, well-funded organization,” said Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “This position will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for Outdoor Afro’s programs.”
Outdoor Afro’s ideal CPIO will provide leadership to strategic planning efforts. The role will implement innovative programmatic strategic initiatives; lead the organization’s digital strategy and transformation; and engage in fundraising and partnership endeavors to scale the organization. The groundbreaking leader will collaborate with Outdoor Afro’s senior management team and board of directors on operational and programmatic strategies, including marketing strategy, customer journey optimization, and external relationship development.
Furthermore, the CPIO will work closely with the executive director, CEO, and other organizational leadership to develop, implement, and manage the operational aspects of the annual budget, ensuring sound fiscal management. At heart, the CPIO will play a vital role in cultivating existing relationships with public and private funders while driving marketing efforts to enhance program reach and impact. Earlier this year, Outdoor Afro hired an in-house program assistant, finance director, and its first-ever operational executive director.
These additional roles continue to support Outdoor Afro’s strategic development goals and staff demands for advancements in national programming and network participation. “We’re expanding our core leadership team to ensure the long-term strategic and operational viability of our programs and impact,” said Executive Director Lisa Bourne. “The new CPIO will have a really unique opportunity to drive Outdoor Afro’s next phase of innovative growth.”
Fourteen years ago, Outdoor Afro started as a social enterprise for Mapp. She incorporated Outdoor Afro in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) and has led the organization since as its CEO. The organization has grown from a one-woman blog and three founding board members to 12 full-time staff and a 13-member Board of Directors. Its 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 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 @outdoorafro and outdoorafro.org.
Gina Wright: Outdoor Afro's intercontinental source to community-building, solidarity
If summed as a social media bio: She’s a network builder and globetrotting gardener. Outdoor Afro’s Program Assistant Gina Wright, 23, works within the Programs Department of the national not-for-profit organization. Administratively supporting year-round programs. Cushioning this arm of Outdoor Afro so that local network events and nationwide campaigns are properly resourced. All in the name of advancing Outdoor Afro’s mission: celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature. Wright stays on top of local, regional, and coast-to-coast moving pieces of the Oakland-headquartered nature operation.
She assists in the production of organizational campaigns and annual leadership training that educates more than 100 Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders. These leaders then guide outdoor activities in 60 cities and 32 states, including Washington, D.C. Sustainably. And safely. If leaders request snacks or supplies across the organization’s four regions, Wright does coordinated calculations with Harris to make it happen. And yet, she etches travel time to contribute to global outdoor initiatives in her private life. Her 2023 summer learning destination: Nicaragua.
“It was a trip of personal research and education,” said Wright, “to begin building solidarity with folks I connected with in these communities.” She traveled to the capital city of Managua. Central-region department of Chontales. Port city of Bluefields. And the Garifuna village of Orinoco – north of Bluefields. Because she honestly cares about populations of people and their access to basic needs like food. Wright literally lives out the causes that she supports. She backyard gardens 4 acres in San Francisco. Her typical summer crops: beans, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers ( jalapeño, shishito, poblano). “For this summer’s backyard garden season, there are cucumbers, dragon tongue beans, chayote, dill, and fruit trees,” said Wright. “Mostly managed by my housemates at the moment.”
Traveling both personally and on behalf of Outdoor Afro, the seasoned grower spent 10 days in the Central American country during June 2023. How she got there: Through nonprofit Friends of the ATC (Asociación de Trabajadores del Campo – or Rural Workers’ Organization), Wright learned of the network’s delegations designed to increase popular education about Nicaragua’s socio-political work. Curious about how organization’s build community interest around a cause or campaign, Wright wanted to help do her part to contribute to ATC’s nearly 44 years of defending rural workers and the rights of Nicaragua’s countryside citizens. She wanted to understand if there were any opportunities for intercultural, international, and localized unity in this space. “On this trip, I got a better sense of what food sovereignty can look like,” said Wright. “Of what diasporic, mixed, Black, and indigenous people are doing to protect and prosper in their cultures.”
She befriended area producers. Put composting into practice. Discovered a new appreciation for the Earth’s soil – its nutrient-dense and aerobic conditions – so seeds can thrive. Even milked a cow. This disciplined destination for Wright stems from her academic background and connection to California farming experiences. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in geography with a concentration in economy, culture, and society. It’s where she first heard about ATC while studying at the university. By way of Berkeley Student Farms and an agroecology course, Wright met like-minded folks fervent about farming. “Some of those involved with Berkeley Student Farms spoke highly of ATC’s work to improve the livelihood of rural workers, specifically farm workers,” Wright said.
From that moment, Wright wanted to attend a delegation. She finally got that chance this year. Wright also received the opportunity to apply information she learned after college from Agroecology Commons – a collective that engineers farmer-to-farmer education, builds co-op networks, and supports food sovereignty and land stewardship. Agroecology Commons held a Bay Area farmer-to-farmer training in 2021 that Wright joined. In both online and in-person instruction, she gained perspective around how small farm production, cooperative marketing, and social movements could unite for the greater good of global rural communities. Flying nearly 3,600 miles in June 2023, Wright put agricultural lessons to the test this summer. Taking meticulous notes as her Nicaragua trip progressed. Bringing back home themes around:
THE POWER OF SMALL-SCALE COOPERATIVE NETWORKS. When possible, communities should invest in localized cooperative economies (i.e. fund local food systems on multiple levels – from education to practice and production to distribution).
THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE WORLD’S NATURAL SYSTEMS WHEN CULTIVATING FOOD. For example, some Garifuna farmers plant Cassava with the moon cycle. They also plant with the new moon when water is drawn down into the soil, which is advantageous for root crops.
THE WISDOM IN AIMING TOWARD SOVEREIGN SUBSISTENCE IN FOOD SYSTEMS BY DEDICATING TIME TO LEARN LAND BEST PRACTICES. It is crucial to knowledge-share across people and places about communities with the most immediate needs.
“It’s the first-ever delegation where representatives would hear directly from Afro-descendant and indigenous populations of the Southern Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, an autonomous region in the country,” said Wright. Her curiosity deepened as it connected to her academic roots, West Coast lifestyle, and affinity for farming culture. This journey allowed Wright to see global food systems operate, especially autonomous territories with ties to the African diaspora. The summer quest became the international traveler's third stay in Nicaragua. On top of this scholastic visit, other personal adventures for Wright in these youthful years have included three trips to Costa Rica and two to Guatemala. Thumbtack on Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo, Japan; Berlin, Germany; and Barcelona, Spain.
She returned to Outdoor Afro refreshed with new farming and community-building knowledge to share with team members. Trip takeaways: Everything in this lifestyle is interconnected. Global travel helps expand one’s consciousness of community challenges as they relate to worldwide conversations. When relationship-building, do so respectfully and responsibly. Wright said: “Building understanding and solidarity across different struggles – internationally, interculturally, and interdisciplinary – can lead to a liberation the globalized world has yet to see.”
GINA’S PACKING GUIDANCE FOR GLOBAL TRAVEL
PACK LIGHT. Use natural, breathable, quick-drying, and thin fibers. Wright recommends a combination of cotton, bamboo, linen.
REMAIN EXTRA MINDFUL OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Wright warns that there’s a lot of life and environmental intensity in tropical environments like Nicaragua. Bring the appropriate self-care items to protect yourself (ex: natural bug repellents like garlic, shea butter, lemon/eucalyptus-based products). Don’t count out reinforcements like mosquito netting, a shade hat, light-weight and long-sleeves shirts, securing travel insurance, having access to filtered water and sometimes stomach soothing teas like ginger and chamomile.
BRING PROPER TECH STORAGE. If traveling involves smartphone and laptop use, Wright recommends staying mindful of storing options. These tools need climate-controlled (dry) environments to sustain. Tropical climates are oftentimes not the best settings to operate technology.
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 network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities. “Where Black people and nature meet,” Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow us @outdoorafro on social.
Date for Outdoor Afro's ninth annual fundraiser announced
Glamp Out is national not-for-profit Outdoor Afro’s annual Oscars-fashioned fundraiser that rolls out the red carpet for nature. The organization's signature event takes place Friday, Oct. 20, in Oakland, to honor its 2023 success stories in outdoor community programs, pioneering leaders, and thoughtful partnerships. “This year’s theme is titled ‘Elevation,’” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “With a brand-new and growing staff, we’ve been taking our nationwide work to new heights.”
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES HERE
Mapp likes to remind first-time attendees every year (and with her hallmark smile): “This isn’t your Dad’s conservation gala.” The ninth annual affair will give a toast to Outdoor Afro nature achievements at premier venue Bloc 15 in Oakland, California, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. PT. Glamp Out’s 2023 goal is to raise more than $200,000 in support of the organization’s yearlong and healing outdoor programs. Funds raised during the glamorous occasion 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 7.6 times that of white children because of historical barriers. To date, Making Waves has awarded hundreds of "Swimmerships" (or swim lesson scholarships) around the country. The program’s ambitious 2023 aim: supporting 1,000 new swimmers.
OUTDOOR AFRO LEADERSHIP TRAINING: Now in its 11th 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 greater health and healing of all people and our planet. Contributions help Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders expand their training to include wilderness first-aid, recreational water activity skills, and model aspirational nature opportunities.
SIGNATURE CAPSTONE EVENTS: These experiences introduce volunteer leaders and local neighborhoods to the exploratory possibilities in nature and change the face of who can become an expeditioner. 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.
MORE EVENT DETAILS HERE
Annually, Glamp Out attracts more than 250 supporters, cultural champions, nature leaders, elected officials, and celebrities. Each 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: “Glamp Out helps change this notion that Black people and Black communities are solely the beneficiaries of our year-round programs,” Mapp said. “This much-anticipated fundraiser shows that there are so many diverse supporters who give to and continue to help equip Outdoor Afro and other similar groups with the resources we need to succeed in our work.”
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 2023 attendees with Glamp Out’s roster of special guests. “Our programs are welcoming and multigenerational,” said Mapp, “leading to transformations both online and offline for people and the natural world. Glamp Out celebrates these transformations and helps us continue to build lasting relationships while strengthening leadership opportunities in the outdoors.”
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.
Elevated Experiences: 5 travel packing guidelines from an Outdoor Afro cycling expert
Cycling now scales outdoor activities that local participants of national not-for-profit Outdoor Afro mark off their summer travel plans. Just this month, Outdoor Afro volunteer leader Chasity Ramos guided an 8-mile neighborhood spin around Swamp Rabbit Trail in South Carolina’s Greenville County. “Our participants showed up from near and far,” said Ramos to her Instagram followers about the July 15 “Black joy” bike ride. “From Atlanta to Charlotte to Greenville and Greer, our people were outside.”
Her Greenville and Asheville, North Carolina, network supporters automatically accepted the fitness, health, and well-being challenge to a section of the original 22-mile, multi-use greenway. Ramos bonded with cyclists, delivered a few punchlines for laughs (as her personality calls for), and weaved the area’s Black history into pedaling pit stops. For those Outdoor Afro participants who have discovered or rediscovered cycling in their communities with the organization, these biking adventures can often lead abroad.
Curious about newer cycling destinations around the globe? Outdoor Afro’s executive director and international cyclist Lisa Bourne volunteers five travel packing recommendations. Bourne cycles nearly 4,000 miles annually at home and overseas. Whether road cycling, mountain biking, endurance cycling, leisure cycling, e-biking, or in cycling events, global cycling is definitely doable. Her suggestions to plan accordingly:
DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF CYCLING ADVENTURE YOU WANT. During May 2023, Bourne shipped her Canyon road bike to island destination Mallorca, Spain, and headed right along with it. The weeklong stay allowed her to bike more than 120 miles and climb close to 15,000 feet. “Ask yourself: is it a road, gravel, or mountain bike trip for you?” said Bourne. “I’m a roadie. I love climbing – and descending – mountains on my bike.” Bourne admits she’s partial to mountains, especially those near beaches. Hence, this recent trip to Mallorca. Laden with camouflaged coves, chalked mountaintops like the Tramuntana range, fresh market farms, and turquoise water beaches, “I was so blessed to travel for my fourth time to this gorgeous island,” she said.
CARVE OUT TRAINING TIME FOR SPECIFIC TRAILS. Bourne’s Spain trip in the Mediterranean Sea landed her east of the Spanish mainland. Mallorca’s breezy climate and network of paved roads offers dreamy routes for a medley of cycling adventures. Back in 2012, Olympic cyclist Bradley Wiggins trained for the Tour de France by clambering up Sa Calobra – one of the island’s famous cycling climbs with 26 tightly packed, hairpin turns. Today, Mallorca is a cycling destination hotbed for pro cycling teams and amateur cyclists worldwide. Bourne recommends dedicating at least 12 weeks of personal and professional instruction before pursuing new courses. “Hire a cycling coach like Black-owned and -operated CIS Cycling,” Bourne said. “Don’t forget strength training – the core, back, and lots of squats. Try yoga on your off days to open those hips.”
DETERMINE IF YOU WANT TO BRING YOUR OWN BIKE OR RENT ONE. Mallorca is built up with the best infrastructure to support diverse cyclists, confirmed Bourne. For refueling moments, the island provides bike racks stationed at community cafés, local bike shops, trained mechanics on standby, bike rental setups, and hotels with bike garages. “Bike garages allow you to build up your own bike if you’ve brought it along,” Bourne said. “You can even store your bike there when you don’t plan to ride. Mallorca is home to some amazing, local cyclists you can hire to lead you on the roads.” To help pick between bringing or renting a bike, Bourne points out two thoughts. First, look at the number of days you plan to spend on your bike. “If I’m spending one or two days cycling, I typically rent,” she said. “If I’m cycling for up to four or more days, I want to ride my own.” In both instances, Bourne stresses that the body should become well trained and adapted to your individual bike position. Warning: You risk injury riding on a rental for more than a few days if the position is incorrect. Second, calculate the cost of transporting your personal bike. Research if airlines will charge for special equipment. For certain situations, drill down on how much ground transportation will charge for hauling your bike and parts.
PACK FOR THE CONDITIONS (THE UNEXPECTED). Not everything during your adventure abroad will go as planned. “Assume there won’t be a bike shop nearby when you arrive at your destination,” said Bourne. “Cycling multiple days? You always want to bring extra.” Extra cleats for clipless pedals. Extra batteries and chargers for electronics. Extra gear and equipment for iffy weather forecasts. “If you're climbing at elevation, the weather will vary,” she said, “so pack layers.” Bourne recommends smart packing, including items like a base layer, jersey, wind vest, long-sleeve packable jackets, and arm/knee warmers. Cycling gear and equipment brands to consider: Rapha, Velocio, PEARL iZUMi, and Giordana.
GIVE YOURSELF GRACE. ABOVE ALL, HAVE FUN. A friend invited a then-amateur cycling Bourne to complete a three-day 350 AIDSRide in the year 2000. The AIDS awareness ride stretched North Carolina to Washington, D.C. Since Bourne loved her gym spin class, she thought “why not.” That experience led to her becoming a Luna Chix – CLIF BAR’s legacy ambassador program for cyclists that inspired more women to ride bikes and at the time supported breast cancer research. Throughout the decades, cycling has given Bourne mental clarity and strength; assisted her with lowering heart rate and blood pressure; and helped maintain her figure (legs and core especially). The years have increased her bike riding confidence and ability to incorporate cycling into the outdoor leader’s traveling lifestyle. She devoted 8 to 10 hours a week for four months straight to train for Mallorca trails. “I exceeded my personal goals,” she said. “In years past, this accomplishment hasn’t always been the case with factors out of my control – like my body’s response to jet lag, the elements, road closures, and at times falling sick.” Bourne has learned to go with the flow on her cycling journey: “Travel being grateful for your health and the freedom to just ride.” More about Bourne’s Outdoor Afro story here.
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 network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities. “Where Black people and nature meet,” Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow us @outdoorafro on social.
Outdoor Afro's corporate partner, Outdoor Afro Inc., drops electrifying colors with REI
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – The “hike fits made to move with every body” are back with high-voltage hues and universal designs to accommodate outdoor adventurers traveling near and far this summer. “For a second season, we’re breaking design barriers,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp, who also founded for-profit enterprise Outdoor Afro, Inc. “Inc.’s summer 2023 hike collection co-created with REI Co-op is an extension of last year’s vibrant colors, functional styles, and fits made with every single body in mind.” The 2023 color drop pops with the introduction of halcyon blue and violet blossom into the hike collection’s fleece pullovers, shell jackets, trail pants, shorts, and tops.
Like the original launch, these newer collection pieces include hike styles that still consider wider ranges of body types, shapes, sizes, and original graphics. Outdoor Afro, Inc. x REI Co-op launched the technical hike apparel September 2022 with hues like papaya, teal glaze, and shoreline gold leading the pioneering co-collaboration. Working closely with Black people and Black communities to understand outdoor product needs, Outdoor Afro, Inc. and REI Co-op developed a 22-piece hike line that brings inclusive design to the forefront. That solves unmet design needs in outdoor gear and equipment.
Mapp’s relationship with the co-op started 14 years ago through her national not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro. Outdoor Afro celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. REI Co-op is an outdoor specialty retailer that connects every person to the power of the outdoors. Together, the brands share an enduring relationship. "Outdoor Afro and Outdoor Afro Inc. continue to help us expand our inclusive design practices and bring collections that are designed to inspire more people to join us outside” said Isabelle Portilla, vice president, REI Co-op brands. “This second chapter of our hike collection add vibrant colors to inspire joy in nature for everyone.”
During 2021, Mapp established for-profit Outdoor Afro, Inc., which celebrates and inspires Black connections to the outdoors through product design, manufacturing, sales, and experiences. Today, both Inc. and REI serve as corporate partners of not-for-profit Outdoor Afro. Last year’s hike collection launched the Inc. and co-op business collaboration. The co-created project also introduced Mapp’s for-profit business and her as an innovative outdoor gear designer.
WGSN, a global consumer trend forecaster, fancied the hike collection so much that it highlighted the universal styles as part of the predictor’s 2025 “Big Ideas” fashion report. This report underscores six need-to-know directions that will impact the industry that year. WGSN featured the collection as an “Urgent Optimism” big idea. “That’s the beauty of each fit,” said Mapp. “The collection is informed by more than a decade of relationship-building with REI and cultivating meaningful conversations with today’s outdoor enthusiasts connected to our brands. The results: all-embracing designs for our various hiking lifestyles.”
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 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 on social @outdoorafro today.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO INC.: The for-profit business celebrates and inspires Black community connections to the outdoors through relevant product design, manufacturing, sales, and outdoor experiences. To learn more, visit @outdoorafroinc on social media.
ABOUT REI CO-OP: REI is a specialty outdoor retailer headquartered near Seattle. The nation’s largest consumer co-op, REI is a growing community of 23 million members who expect and love the best quality gear, inspiring expert classes and trips, and outstanding customer service. REI has 181 locations in 42 states and the District of Columbia. If you can’t visit a store, you can shop at REI.com, REI Outlet or the REI shopping app. REI isn’t just about gear. Adventurers can take the trip of a lifetime with REI’s active adventure travel company that runs more than 100 itineraries across the country. In many communities where REI has a presence, professionally trained instructors share their expertise by hosting beginner-to advanced-level classes and workshops about a wide range of activities. To build on the infrastructure that makes life outside possible, REI invests millions annually in hundreds of local and national nonprofits that create access to—and steward—the outdoor places that inspire us all.
*Photos by Meron Menghistab (@meron_photo)
Outdoor Retailer recognizes Outdoor Afro volunteer leader
North America’s largest outdoor industry trade show, Outdoor Retailer, held its 13th annual Inspiration Awards to honor influential professionals, innovators, and explorers during its June 20 ceremony held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Outdoor Afro volunteer leader Alma Busby-Williams, 58, became one of three finalists in the award’s “Individual Category” – celebrating that one person who has motivated and inspired others to enjoy, participate in, and support outdoor activities. “When I got the phone call from Outdoor Retailer, I was shocked,” said Busby-Williams, a five-year Outdoor Afro volunteer leader, with a Cheshire Cat grin.
Outdoor Retailer’s Communications & Content Director Lisa Ramsperger surprised Busby-Williams with the news and open invitation to participate in its Summer Show 2023. Busby-Williams had just returned to her Olympia, Washington, home after attending Outdoor Afro Leadership Training (OALT) – the national not-for-profit’s annual April experience that took place in Bainbridge, Washington, this year – when Ramsperger ringed. OALT educates more than 100 volunteer leaders how to guide their communities in nature sustainably and safely. A compelling piece to Busby-Williams’ nature work and awards nomination.
Busby-Williams instantly said “yes.” She flew to the June 19 through June 21 show that flooded the Salt Palace Convention Center with nearly 200 new exhibitors. Dubbed “where new happens,” Outdoor Retailer’s Summer Show 2023 invites exhibitors to debut their latest in outdoor products and services. The show also offers networking and business opportunities for retailers, designers, media, nonprofit organizations, and industry leaders across the globe. As part of the show, the Outdoor Retailer Inspiration Awards celebrates those like Busby-Williams who naturally motivate people to get outside.
The awards took place at the Hyatt Regency’s Salt Lake Ballroom and recognized five categories of outdoor influencers and inventive products/services within the industry: emerging leader, manufacturer, retailer, nonprofit, and individual. In the “Individual Category,” Busby-Williams joined finalists Will "Akuna" Robinson (Triple Crown thru-hiker and 2022 George Mallory award recipient) and Becky Rom (volunteer national chair of Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters and retired attorney), which Rom won. “To just be in this number and space was a win for me,” said Busby-Williams.
The official publication of Outdoor Retailer, The Daily Guide, featured all finalists from the five categories. Each one of their stories lit up the ceremony stage. Moved some attendees to tears, especially Busby-Williams’ outdoor journey. Busby-Williams joined Outdoor Afro as a volunteer leader in 2018. Guiding her then Charleston, South Carolina, network on hiking trails that uplifted local Black history. In 2020, her career moved the outdoorswoman to Portland then Seattle in 2021. At both locations, she continued to host Outdoor Afro network activities and take her newer neighborhood participants to nearby national parks.
But go back a decade, and that’s when her connection to nature really flowered. A mom of two and age 43 in 2009, Busby-Williams was diagnosed with breast cancer. “For some reason, I didn’t feel like it was my time,” she said. “I had more to do.” She prayed over it. Many a day. Discovered relief through the outdoors. Intentionally breathing and taking in her natural surroundings. A year later, breast cancer free.
Now Busby-Williams takes those moments and leadership skills learned through Outdoor Afro to introduce and explore local lands, waters, and wildlife with community participants. When attendees leave an Outdoor Afro network activity, they do so with peace and healing. Busby-Williams’ approach to reconnecting them to nature. She hosts mostly hiking activities that include miles of breathing techniques and fellowshipping.
Full time, she serves as director of inclusion and community partnerships of the North Cascades Institute. She uses her legal education to work for various nonprofits, serving marginalized populations as well. Previously, she worked as interim executive director of Youth and Family Services and deputy director of Prescott Joseph Center. Along with her volunteer leader post with Outdoor Afro, Busby-Williams is a member of the National Park Conservation Association’s Northwest Regional Council, Breast Cancer Action Board, Recreation Conservation Association’s Trail Advisory Committee, and Washington Parks National Fund Board.
Busby-Williams continues Outdoor Afro’s long-standing history with Outdoor Retailer. Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp has participated in the trade show for 11 years. Prior to Busby-Williams’ recognition, Outdoor Afro won the show’s then 2013 Outdoor Industry Association Outdoor Inspiration Awards. “Experiences like Outdoor Retailer remind me that nature is everywhere – so are the ones doing this important work,” said the veteran volunteer leader. “The opportunity to inspire those around us is right there in front of us. It’s why I love volunteering for organization’s like Outdoor Afro."
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 network with 100-plus volunteer leaders in more than 60 cities. Its network participation reaches 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people with nature through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro at outdoorafro.org and @outdoorafro today.
ABOUT OUTDOOR RETAILER: Outdoor Retailer, the leading U.S. business events for the outdoor and winter sports industry, brings together retailers, manufacturers, designers, distributors, industry advocates, journalists, and more to conduct the business of outdoor recreation through commerce, unique product experiences, dedicated media events, content, and web-based business solutions. Outdoor Retailer provides critical platforms for face-to-face commerce, product launches, networking, and focused industry education to enhance business and support the outdoor recreation economy. Visit outdoorretailer.com for more information.
Outdoor Afro commemorates Juneteenth through 2023 'Freedom to Access Water' theme
Black community connections to local waterways aren’t always the easiest conversations or experiences to navigate across nationwide neighborhoods. “When we look specifically at access to public swimming pools, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research persistently shows that the drowning rate of Black children is more than 7.6 times that of white children,” said Rue Mapp, Founder and CEO of national not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro. The statistic ties to the historic prohibition of Black entry onto beaches and into public pools.
To change the course of this particular water woe, Outdoor Afro centers its third annual Juneteenth (June 19) theme on “Freedom to Access Water” – coupling the federal holiday with the organization’s fifth annual Making Waves program. Launching right after Juneteenth, Making Waves’ goal is to teach up to 1,000 Black children and their caregivers how to swim within Outdoor Afro’s sphere of influence. On June 19, Outdoor Afro will extend its nature invitation to U.S. communities, which is simply to join the organization outside to commemorate Juneteenth. Preferably near water sources people enjoy visiting individually or with family and friends. To rest. Reflect. Heal in the outdoors for 2.5 hours.
“We want to stay fixed on the true essence of Juneteenth at Outdoor Afro,” said Mapp. “The false narrative is that this holiday symbolizes a celebration to ending slavery; however, this label just isn’t accurate.” Instead, June 19, 1865, documents the date 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free. Good news, indeed. The only problem: Enslaved people received the announcement 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation (signed Jan. 1, 1863) went into effect.
Outdoor Afro uses its community and nature work to educate the general public about the correct meaning behind Juneteenth and how significant freedom and time – in its many interpretations – is to everyone. Outdoor Afro’s National Program Director Chaya Harris leads the organization’s Making Waves program. She matches families and individuals with select sites that offer swim lessons through the program. “We’re asking the public, supporters, partners, and our local networks to spend just 2.5 hours in nature on Juneteenth,” said Harris. “It’s a great way to focus on Making Waves and reach our 1,000 Swimmership goal with a new generation of confident swimmers and swim instructors.”
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 movement with 100-plus volunteer leaders in 60 cities with network participation reaching more than 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. Illustrations by Dajah Callen.