PARTNERSHIPS
Outdoor AfroLeadership Training
Known as the “most wonderful time of the year,” Outdoor Afro Leadership Training (OALT) is our organization’s annual training for the newest class of Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders. Typically held during April of each year, OALT is where these outdoor innovators gain firsthand experience in navigating and leading in nature. An always-anticipated training, OALT discusses and puts into action outdoor conservation, education, and recreation so that volunteer leaders can create safe, sustainable, and nature-rich activities in their local communities across the nation. It’s also an intimate opportunity for volunteers, staff, and partners to bond, continuing to strengthen Black people’s relationships with the outdoors.
OALT is also a transformative annual weekend gathering. Outdoor Afro staff and experienced volunteers share our organization’s history, values, best practices, and industry knowledge. Volunteers learn trip planning basics, health impacts of nature, conservation ethics, risk management, and effective social media storytelling. Select partners and guest speakers are invited to the training to provide field insights, and share inspiration and encouragement. After training, these nature navigators create and guide monthly trips that foster local program collaborations, and help strengthen community relationships with the outdoors. Volunteer leaders center joy and nature as a form of healing while also disrupting a false perception that Black people do not have a relationship to nature.