It's About the Youth
Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors
Day 2
The second day of the conference swelled with more people and energy. The morning speakers each powerfully conveyed forward looking messages of sustainability for organizations, family heritage, and the environment, through narratives about personal and generational ties to the land. Some highlights include:
Ranger Jerry Bransford, a 60-year-old guide at Mammoth Caves, discussed his family legacy at the site, which is now a National Park. His family members have been tour guides since before the Civil War. He is the great-great-grandson of Mat Bransford, the original Mammoth Cave guide and slave.
Bill Gwaltney, a D.C. native who now works for the National Park Service, spoke eloquently in vintage Calvary uniform of his awakening and awareness of African American soldiers and pioneers of the West, as told to him by his grandfather when he was a child. He said that those conversations with his grandfather ignited a desire to learn and share with others the African American Civil War heritage.
Robert George Stanton was the first African American to serve as director of the National Park Service. His accomplishment and endurance to break through a past of Jim Crow to a cabinet position was an inspiration for us all.
At the break, Dudley Edmondson and I caught up with Dr. Carolyn Finney of UC Berkeley:
Sailor-author-adventurer Bill Pinkney, the first Black man to sail solo around the world via Cape Horn, was a delightful lunchtime speaker who conveyed both humor and wisdom as he shared what he learned about life on the high seas.
I also had a chance to chat with Atlanta’s own Angelou Enzielo about her program, Greening Youth Foundation.
Dr. J. Drew Lanham, a professor at Clemson University and his Grad Student Marla Hamilton, chimed in during the afternoon break, representing a new generation of outdoor pioneers and educators.
Later in the day, I had the opportunity to facilitate a discussion on Adventuring, and its benefits through outdoor programs. Attendees representing various groups and agencies took the opportunity to candidly discuss outdoor diversity in a forum of peers, and related some of their organizational and regional challenges around reaching out to broader communities. One of the speakers, a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Base Manager Phil Henderson, told how he experienced outdoor adventuring for the first time later in life, and believes the outdoors is great for young adults also, who might discover new outlets to make a difference for themselves and their communities.
If there was one message that rang out from virtually every talk I heard, it was the need for youth to plug in for both their sustainability and as torch bearers for the future. The conference itself underscored the value of youth by including children, such as the Girl Scouts and several young adults from the local colleges as presenters and conference workers. But it was Juan Martinez, a young Latino male and newly appointed coordinator for the Natural Leaders initiative of the Children & Nature Network who brought it home in his talk how easy it is to make a difference in the life of a youth. He described his own life-changing youth trip outside his native Los Angeles city lights that allowed him to actually see stars in the night sky for the first time -- stars that pointed Juan to his future of advocacy for diverse youth participation the outdoors.
Video shot by Dudley Edmondson
It's a Family Reunion!
I am still trying to wrap my mind around all that I saw and experienced in Atlanta these past few days at the Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors Conference. To distill everything into a few lines would be impossible. Because several Outdoor Afro readers were unable to make the event, over the next few days I'll share my experiences at the conference in words, photos, and video in three parts to convey highlights of this momentous event. Special thanks to Dudley Edmondson for partnering with me on this blog series.
Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors
Day 1
Arriving in ATL, connecting with room mate Chelsea Griffie, and registering in the hospitality suite at the Airport Hilton was a breeze. I marveled at the fact that this was the first conference of its kind, and amazingly produced in a mere five months! During the opening ceremonies, I milled about the conference area among the scores of colorful faces, represented agencies and organizations, and thought, “This is what it’s all about: Everyone at the table.”
The opening ceremony and reception was moderated by the lovely Julia Yarbough, an Emmy Award winning journalist from Florida, who has recently turned the corner from a successful career in broadcasting to devote her life to adventuring.
After planning and communicating with Audrey Peterman for the past several months by phone and email, meeting her in person for the first time was a blast. I don’t care how many photos or interviews you see of this woman, meeting her is to experience infectious enthusiasm and social charm that easily connects and motivates people.
Together with her husband Frank, who shamelessly adores her, Audrey has formed friendships and partnerships with people from all over the country that made this conference possible. But the two remain humble. In their opening comments of the evening, Frank and Audrey kept reminding the group that they are mere reflections of those in the room and took the time to acknowledge the small army of people who helped plan the conference. They encouraged attendees to take what is learned from the conference back to our constituencies to make a difference.
I also had the chance to meet and be interviewed by the social media savvy Queen Quet, Chieftess and Head of State of the Gullah Geeche Nation, who mesmerized the opening ceremony crowd with her melodic singing, dancing, and invocation of Gullah heritage and history of its lands and people.
David Vela, Southeast Regional Director of the National Parks gave a warm welcome address. And we were all excited to meet the Roberts Family, a stunning Florida couple and their five children who were chronicled in a video called "Into the Wild", which shows the family camping their very first time in the Florida Everglades! We were all inspired by how this African-American family was positively transformed and have become camping advocates as a result of their experience -- proof positive of what is possible for more families of color.
I also got to meet author and photographer Dudley Edmondson in person for the first time, even though we have been digitally collaborating with each other for months!
Dudley and fellow blogger James Mills of the Joy Trip Project, captured much of the conference and interviews on film and the three of us brainstormed ideas about how best to use our respective tools to authentically connect to broader audiences.
Local environmental pioneers, such as Girl Scout Leader Evonne Blythers and Angelou Ezielo of Greening Youth Foundation were a treat to meet finally– these women are each doing a stellar job in the Atlanta area with youth. Falconer Darryl Perkins and his fiance were also on the scene and Darryl was my official "partner in Tweet" (#BREAKCB) for the event!
Overall, the first day felt more like a family reunion than a conference because of the common bonds between the conference participants and organizers, many of whom had never met in person. At the end of the day, no matter what we looked like, or what organization we represented, it was clear we were all there to rally around the purpose of diverse participation in America’s Great Outdoors, and the first evening of the conference ended on a note of high energy and anticipation for the next day’s agenda.
Stay tuned for Part II, Day 2
Where the Black Anglers Are
Outdoor Afro just received a note from Arthur Bronson, President of the International Federation of Black Bass Anglers (IFBBA) to let us know what his organization has been frying up these days. The IFBBA’s members are comprised primarily of people of color and its membership and outreach spans the globe. The organization also targets and mentors urban kids of color to participate in various fishing derbies and clinics.
Mr. Bronson says that fishing for African Americans is not new, “we have always fished for food first and recreation second. Our families came out of the South where we fished the river, creeks, and lakes for crappie, bass, and catfish.”
He is so right. And for those of us who don’t fish regularly now, most have memories. I recall catching my first crappy at age three in Clear Lake, California, along side my southern Daddy. As legend has it, once I had the fish on my line, I exclaimed, “Look daddy, the fish is laughing!”
Kudos to the IFBBA for doing its part to make fishing a more visible tradition and to create more memories -- and delicious fish frys for a new generation!
Please click their logo up top to learn more!
Mile High Tweeting and Blogging
Hey folks, I'm literally on the plane flying cross-country to take part in the SOLD OUT Breaking the Color Barrier in the Outdoors Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. I finally get the chance to connect with many outdoor professionals, practitioners, and academics with whom I have had only digital and phone contact since the start of Outdoor Afro. My excitement is through the roof because never before has there been a conference dedicated to helping people of color get outdoors, and Outdoor Afro recognizes the privilege to be a part of this groundbreaking event.
So far my flight has been uneventful thanks to some great support from my folks on the ground, but BIG props go to Delta Airlines for having on board wireless, which enables me to write to you now, send tweets, and takes care of my typical flight boredom issues!
Prepare for a tweeting frenzy about this conference! Search for hashtag #BREAKCB to be in the fray if you can't be there. If you are going to be in ATL, please make sure to add this same tag to all your outgoing tweets to help people get a range of perspective and news.
Stay tuned -- and safe travels for everyone headed to ATL!
Do White People Care About Diversity in Outdoor Spaces?
"I tend to find a greater sense of calm in racially diverse groups that seem to cultivate an atmosphere of increased tolerance and lowered emotional reactivity."
Guest Blogger Cindy Hopkins reflects on diversity in the outdoors below:
My husband and I enjoy spending time in our yard. It began simply as exercise and an interest in native plants, but as the landscaping matured, we discovered another wonderful benefit - we had birds! I honestly came to believe that the birds began to “speak” in response to our voices too. Or rather, they sang. The Costa’s hummingbird or the Verdin usually begin a song followed by the Black-Throated Sparrow. All together they create a delightful harmony of sound.
Having a diverse group of birds in the yard also creates a draw for even more bird species to join our “little oasis” where we see warblers and flycatchers flitting among branches, streaky sparrows hopping low in shrubs, and ground nesting California Quails.
Our backyard environment inspires me to contemplate our experience in campgrounds and parks. When my husband and I go camping, we wish we saw more people of color. Like many modern Americans, I have lived in urban areas and am accustomed to a diversity of ethnicities and cultures, but most often do not get to experience this same diversity in the outdoors. My husband and I tend to find a greater sense of calm in racially diverse groups that seem to cultivate an atmosphere of increased tolerance and lowered emotional reactivity.
While it’s so refreshing and rejuvenating to “get away from it all”, I know our outdoor experiences would be even more fulfilling if we were to experience everyone "singing” -- just like the birds in our yard.
An important step to saving our natural areas is for everyone to appreciate them. I invite everyone to take a personal sense of ownership over public lands! There are wonderful benefits for us all, and I want more people to know how enriching, stress relieving, and restorative it is to spend time in the wild outdoors. So please consider coming to the mountains, and singing along with the birds!
Do white people care about diversity in outdoor spaces?
Guest Blogger Cindy Hopkins thinks so! Here is her reflection on outdoor diversity:
My husband and I enjoy spending time in our yard. It began simply as exercise and an interest in native plants. As the landscaping has matured, we discovered a wonderful benefit - we've got birds! Honestly, I think they like when we talk. They “speak” right back. Or, should I say, they sing. The Costa’s hummingbird and the verdin begin, followed by the black-throated sparrow. It seems that having a diverse group of birds in the yard creates an even greater draw for even more species to join our “little oasis”! While all the singing is going on, there are warblers and flycatchers flitting among branches, streaky sparrows hopping low in shrubs, and the California quail finally begin to relax.
I have a similar feeling about our campgrounds and parks. When my husband and I go camping, we wish we saw more people of color. Like many modern Americans, I have lived in urban areas and am accustomed to a diversity of ethnicities and cultures. My husband I find that we have a greater sense of calm in groups of mixed-race individuals. We feel the increased tolerance and lowered emotional reactivity.
It’s so refreshing and rejuvenating to “get away from it all”. This is why I enjoy Outdoor Afro and its efforts to share the fun of our great outdoors! In the same sense, my fun would be even more fulfilled if there was that experience of “everyone singing”, just like the birds in our yard. In fact, I think I can say this for a number of my fellow Caucasian campers!
An important step to saving our natural areas is to help EVERYONE appreciate them. This is my land; this IS your land, too. Enjoy it! I invite you to take a personal sense of ownership over your public lands! There will be wonderful benefits for us all, as more and more people understand how enriching and restorative it is to spend time in the wild outdoors. I see stressed-out people, and all I wish for them is to come to the mountains and sing along with the birds!
Multiple Sclerosis and Unstoppable in the Outdoors
I met Eve Fields back in 2006 through an active online community that connected people together around travel to the annual Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. From her first post, Eve advocated getting out and traveling the world, no matter the budget – or physical ability.
Eve was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) when she was 25. While it has not stopped her from camping, visiting her local fishing hole, collecting stamps in her passport from all over the globe, AND running her own construction company, she has had to learn new ways to enjoy the same activities she did before her diagnosis.
Indeed there are challenges when traveling with a disability. For example, "people with MS are extremely sensitive to body temperature changes. Just a two-degree change can make the difference between the ability to walk or not," she explained. However, she uses a variety of special clothing and accessories to regulate her body temperature that are available for free for people with MS. She also emphasizes that rest and hydration are critical to maintain with MS, so energy conservation is essential during the week to be able to take on weekend adventures.
There are several organizations that produce annual weekend camps for folks with MS and their caregivers, such as the National MS Society. Some allow caregivers to drop off their MS friends to enjoy a well deserved weekend off, while the camp takes complete care of the participants.
Eve has been involved in several MS support networks and observes that the African-American MS groups do not typically promote and participate in outdoor activities like the groups with predominantly white members -- but Eve wants to help change this and is starting by sharing her tips and experiences with the Outdoor Afro community.
Here are Eve's 6 tips to help people with MS get out of the house and into the outdoors:
1. Know the terrain of your site and the walking distances between your destination and key areas, such as the restroom or parking lot.
2. Make sure an able bodied person can come with you.
3. Know the proximity of the nearest food and drink, or bring your own.
4. Plan for rest breaks and allow extra time to travel and engage with the activity or site.
5. Know the location of the nearest medical facilities and bring medication.
6. Check the condition of your equipment (cane, crutches, walker, and scooter) and have a plan of action in case they fail – your able bodied companion won’t appreciate your scooter battery going dead in the middle of nowhere!
There is much more to share about MS and disabled people of color getting out into the outdoors, so expect more updates, pictures and contributions from Eve in the future!
Are you disabled or have a loved one who is and likes to get outdoors? Got more tips to share? If so, Outdoor Afro wants to hear from you!
Fears of Nappy Hair in the Outdoors
“Don’t get my hair wet!” I’ve blurted many times in a breathless panic anytime water came dangerously close to my heat straightened locks. I always joked that water near a black woman’s hair is like kryptonite near Superman – and in some cases, it’s actually true. Real tears have been shed for hairstyles unexpectedly ruined from contact with water folks!
I was raised to be afraid of what water could do to my hair. As a young girl, the only places permissible to get my hair wet, were either at a beauty salon, or in the kitchen sink under the frenzied hands of my older sister. And an immediate straightening, braiding, or twisting followed the wash to make me presentable for public consumption.
If I had just had my hair “did”, water activities, like swimming or even a short stroll in the rain, were completely off the table unless I wanted to get in trouble with mom. If I did get in the water, I had to “protect” my hair with two rubber swim caps and a Holly Hobby-like bonnet. But the swim caps were never successful. The inevitable water leak would begin around the cap’s edges and shortly after, my hair would rebel from its straightening and revert to its native happy nappy.
Some people like to catalog the black woman's hair obsession as a form of self hatred – “be natural” say some, but I’m not there - yet. And as a mother myself now, I get that my mom’s fussiness (and later my own) sometimes had to do with time and maintenance management. I cringe now as I recall the thick plumes of hair my poor mom had to corral on my head, wet or dry. So when she sent me to get a new “do” at the salon, she was also trying to buy herself a little break.
I remain a press-n-curl black girl from Oakland, but the difference is now I have learned to balance my hair styles with my outdoor thrills. I just work it in cycles. When I am in a mode for water activities, I keep my hair in braids or wait until my press is on its last legs. I have to admit, I envy the black women who have gotten off the hair obsession train and instead rock tight short fades or natural locks full-time. I don’t know if I will ever get there with those sisters, but never again will hair be a reason for me to miss out on a good swim.
Update
Wow, reading this article today, I realize how I am so over it! I can't tell you how grateful I am to enjoy my own natural hair and the freedom it has allowed me to take carefree pleasure in a wide-range of outdoor and nature experiences.
Also since the time of this writing, there has been an explosion of a "Natural Hair" movement that has elevated the discussion in beauty parlors and the blogisphere about natural hair care and its sustainable techniques to new highs. So now, I am proud to know and understand how to enjoy my native hair texture AND the outdoors.
What about you?
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough!
I took a climbing trip with Outward Bound in my early 20’s, and it changed my life. It was a physical accomplishment I did not think I was capable of achieving – and my awareness of possibility and faith from that successful experience remains with me today.
Chelsea Griffie was similarly inspired by rock climbing and the outdoors. Her Chicago parents were not campers, so she climbed for the first time as a young adult on a trip to Brazil, and was hooked. In the years since, Chelsea’s skills grew through her participation and leadership in NOLS, the National Outdoors Leadership School.
In additional to reaching her own climbing goals over the years in the Yosemite Valley, considered the climbing Mecca, Chelsea teaches backpacking skills and yoga to women of color through the Balanced Rock organization. She is also currently the Program Director of Bay Area Wilderness Training, an organization that offers basic leadership courses and advanced seminars to prepare adults to lead youth safely into the wilderness. Here is more about BAWT:
If you are interesting in learning to climb, Chelsea suggests taking a trip to your local climbing gym, where you can test out the sport before deciding if it’s right for you, or if you are up for more of a challenge, consider Outward Bound or NOLS courses. These rigorously rewarding courses are organized around nearly every age group and located all over the world. Try climbing at least once -- it just might change your life!
Listen HERE to my talk with Chelsea, which follows an delightful interview with Audrey Peterman, organizer of the Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors Conference.
Photo by Dudley Edmondson
Outdoor "I do"
I have always thought of the outdoors as an ideal setting to wed, and last weekend my nephew Antoine and his lovely fiancé Christine embodied the magic of outdoor nuptials in a beautiful beach side ceremony. The two met and fell in love years ago as camp counselors at the Bar 717 Ranch Camp, located in Northern California.
The setting was a stunning public beach in Santa Barbara, located about an hour north of Los Angeles. In addition to the invited guests, scores of beach-goers out for a casual Sunday afternoon in the sand, watched and stood reverently silent during the ceremony, allowing the words of Christine and Antoine's vows to soar with the sound of the wind and waves.
The newlyweds are now honeymooning and outdoor adventuring in Hawaii.
Congratulations Antoine and Christine!
The Outside is Inside
I spent the brief plane ride to Los Angeles last week drooling over a copy of Dwell, a forward looking magazine of modern design, and when I arrived at my friend’s Hollywood bungalow, she pointed out that the house behind hers was the Freeman House, a Frank Lloyd Wright. So Mid-Century Modern design was a running theme of the weekend and triggered my imagination about the ways my future crib can embody a love for the outdoors.
What resonates with me about Wright is that he understood the interconnectedness of our lives with the spaces we occupy. He believed that dwellings should integrate seamlessly with the natural environment, rather than shriek away or dominate it. So his designs fly in the face of cloistered ideas of ownership and property lines, and blur the contractual boundary between “inside” and “outside” with floor to ceiling windows often appearing in his designs in lieu of walls.
Designers such as Ray and Charles Eames and developer Joseph Eichler tailored Wright’s design fundamentals for everyday people, and many others followed in his philosophy to inspire a new generation of design.
For me, a home that combines the charm of a child’s tree-house with grown-up necessity and sustainability like an Eichler (pictured below) equals bliss...
In what ways does your home reflect your passion for the outdoors?
