Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Check out this guest blog by friend Dudley Edmondson from his blog, Fit Guy Outdoors, which currently highlights a birding trip from the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival that includes some more Outdoor Afros you may recognize!
Had the pleasure last week of being invited to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival in southern Texas. Had no idea that I would have so much fun. I was flown in to accompany attendees to designated birding location and help them identify and find birds. With over 20 years of birding and bird photography to my credit it seemed like an enjoyable and easy task.
With the help of local tour leader, Roy Rodriguez we took bus loads of birders out to pad their life list with new birds. Highlights included: Red –crowned parrot, Rudy ground dove, Crimson collared grosbeak, Least grebe and Aplomado Falcon.
Roy is one of the most amazing human vessels of knowledge I have ever met. He was never at a loss for information on the history of south Texas, its people or its birds. Many of the participants including myself were truly mesmerized by Roy’s extensive knowledge.
Perhaps the most amazing things about the festival that may have gone unnoticed by many in attendance was that it was perhaps the most culturally diverse birding festival ever held in the United States. Granted the numbers were not that high but of the 400-500 folks in attendance there were perhaps 8-10 people of color present as trip guides, attendees and vendors. None of this would have been possible without the forward thinking of Festival coordinator and longtime friend Mary Gustafson. Mary is no dummy she is fully aware of the fact that without young birders and more people of color birding simply has no future. So this year she stacked the deck by bringing in the most knowledgeable young birders she could find and then contacting me to help with ethnic diversity. In turn I brought in friends Dr. Drew Lanham, Associate Professor of Forestry and Natural Resources at Clemson University and Douglas Wayne Gray avid birder and member of the Indiana Audubon Society. Together with local Roy Rodriguez we made up the most noticeable diversity at the conference, as designated trip leaders.
This is just the latest of many efforts within the birding community to bring about a shift in who in America sees themselves as birders. Also in attendance at the Conference were Dave Mapgiong and Paul Baicich co-founders of the Fledging Birder’s Institute who’s main objective is to engage younger and more ethnically diverse birdwatchers. They’ve planned a conference on the subject for the fall of 2011 with a huge emphasize on ethnic diversity in birding.
Perhaps the most lasting effect of the festival will be the newfound friends in Roy, Dave, Paul and Jeremiah Alexander. All the folks mentioned have bonded and are already planning our next big adventure. We also realize now how many of us are out there are pushing change in the outdoors and plan to work together on this issue at every opportunity.
Angela Medlin Brings Urban Flair to The North Face
In a recent Outdoor Afro Facebook discussion about African-Americans in the outdoor retail industry, a comment from Angela Medlin especially caught my eye when she mentioned her role as a clothing designer for The North Face. As much as I love sharing the many Outdoor Afro adventures in the field, I also think it is important to shed light on the brown faces behind the scenes who make a big impact on the gear we depend on, and also learn what inspires them. Here is my interview with Angela, who brings a "city inspired" twist to The North Face brand:
Angela, tell us about what you love about the outdoors?
It's an amazing space to gain genuine perspective. A few years ago on a trip to Africa, I remembered saying to myself: "look how small I am, compared to the vastness of the Serengeti" and then later feeling so majestic while sitting on a rock, overlooking tree tops in Yosemite. It's fascinating. Calming. Invigorating. Spiritually enlightening. Freedom.
Was it an important part of your childhood?
Yes! I grew up in the south (in "the country", as they say), spending very hot summers mostly outside from dawn to dusk, often barefoot, racing through plum bushes and and backroads with my cousins. It was pure freedom! At the end of the day, we all proudly wore clouds of dust and could barely stay awake through dinner (I miss that feeling!). The only way to keep me indoors was to give me an art project to complete (that's still the case). Otherwise, I was exploring the outdoors through abandoned buildings, nearby pastures, and overgrown dirt roads. That was my first introduction to urban exploration! There were a few sprained ankles and skinned knees but all of that was just part of the adventure! A clean band aide and half of a pb&j sandwich later, it was business as usual! The outdoors fueled my imagination. Even on the rainy days, I would sit outside, waiting for the crack of thunder and lightning to light up the trees!...And then there was the amazing smell of the first summer rain hitting dust ...or the smell of firewood burning in the cold winter air! Great memories!
Angela's East African Safari Experience:
How did you begin working in outdoor equipment/clothing?
Hmmm, somewhere between "by accident" and "on purpose"... I’ve been an apparel designer for 20 years. Most of my career was spent designing active wear for companies like Adidas and casual sportswear for companies like Levi Strauss, Inc. One of the growing trends and focus in the apparel industry is urban exploration. The North Face, found my background and fashionable twist on performance apparel well suited for the direction they were taking their outerwear. So, I was hired to create a new category for them - city inspired outerwear. Off the mountain fashion worn by celebrities and professional athletes alike.
Our forebearers did not have Gortex, so why is the gear available now important for outdoor activities?
True, some of the most impressive outdoor athletes reached the summit of Mt. Everest without the new technologies and lived to tell about it. However, technically advanced materials allow athletes and novice to perform better in extreme weather conditions. Today’s engineered materials/garments allow for healthier exploration. Clothing is made to be lighter weight yet durable, waterproof and breathable, weather blocking and ventilated, protects against microbials, keeps the body warm and dry, cool and calm, and can be customized to fit specific activity needs. Some material technologies can actually interface with your electronic media. This allows for better communication and safety when you need it....and who wouldn’t want a faster, better, easier way to protect yourself on or off the mountain!
How might people outfit themselves affordably? Any tips?
Choose quality over quantity! Purchase a couple of great pieces from brands that have a reputation for lasting, durable materials, and construction. Gauge the brand’s innovations against their competitors. Tip: look for the outlet stores of your favorite brand! You may find exactly what you are looking for in the price range that is affordable...and who cares if it’s bright purple!
What is on your bucket list for outdoor fun?
If you had asked me this question 7 years ago, I would have had several items in the bucket! Being a designer in the outdoor industry has introduced me to ways of being in the great outdoors that I’ve never experienced before! From mountain biking and rafting in the La Sal mountains of Utah to ice climbing in Banff, Canada, my bucket list is getting shorter. For now, especially after this interview, I really just want to kick off my shoes and run barefoot down a dusty road....and wait for the rains to come! ;-)
To learn more about Angela's outerwear designs, here is her website -- click the DESIGNER tab.
November's Bird of the Month
While leading a team building exercise (birdwatching of course) at work a few months ago, the group encountered this month's Bird of the Month. Someone said to me, “I didn’t know we had birds like that around here.” This month's bird elicits that kind of comment from folks who've never seen it before, even though it is actually quite a common bird. Matter-of-fact, it is one of the most widespread birds in all of North America.
The featured bird of the month is the large and loud Belted Kingfisher.
While leading another bird hike this past month a lady asked me, “What in the world is making all that noise?” What she heard was a Belted Kingfisher. They do kick up a lot of racket. Their call is not only loud, but a bit “harsh” as well. You are far more likely to hear one before you see one because they will start making their rattling calls when disturbed. They make all this noise in defense of territory. If it perceives a menace to its territory, it makes that clamorous call. If that doesn’t rid the area of what it doesn’t like, it will then give aerial chase to unwanted intruders.
Belted Kingfishers are relatively large (about 12 inches in length). They are short-legged, big-headed, big-billed birds (their head and bill are so big in proportion to the rest of their body…they look almost comical to me).
I find Belted Kingfishers quite interesting. One of the things that I find most interesting about them is that they are the only bird I’ve ever seen in which the female is actually more colorful than the male. Male Belted Kingfishers are blue and white. The female is identical except she has a chestnut-colored band across her chest and down her sides.
As their name implies, fish is the main stay of a kingfisher’s diet. They are often seen perched from a vantage point that allows them to see their prey in clear water and then dive in to collect. However, sometimes I’ve seen them hover above water and then make their dives. I wish more folks could catch them do this, because it’s actually a spectacular site to see.
Belted Kingfishers remain in our area as long as open water remains. So, if you've yet to see this kingfisher, let this be a target bird before winter sets in.
Douglas “Birdman” Gray has been birding almost all of his life. He grew up on a family farm near Clarksville, Tennessee, where they grew crops ranging from apricots to wheat, and most things in between. They also raised chickens, guineas, pigs, horses, and a cow named…….Apples. Doug’s grandfather identified the birds they would see daily on the farm.
Doug now resides in Indianapolis and works in Parenteral Engineering with Eli Lilly and Company. Most of his current birding takes place in Indiana, with a concentration on Central Indiana, where he leads bird walks for “Backyard Birds”. Doug can be reached at 317-255-7333.
Who Are You Anyway?
People always ask me who visits Outdoor Afro? Well, here is a snapshot of who Quantcast thinks you are (don't ask how they come up with these numbers), although the data is actually pretty consistent with my own survey results from last year:
Compared to other websites, a significant number of you are African-American women making more than 100K/year, and grad school educated. Also according to the site, you are likely to enjoy topics such as travel, politics, sci-fi, fashion, and non-profits. Many of you have young children, but because of the older, core demographic, you are also likely to have children 17 and up, and/or are influential in the life of a youth as an auntie or community leader.
I think you guys are a great catch, and I am so glad you help make up this inspired community!
The Impact of Oprah’s Yosemite Adventure
It sure has been a great week to love the outdoors and be African American! Last Friday and today, as I tuned in to Oprah and Gayle to see their adventure in Yosemite National Park, I was completely enamored. Beyond the expected funny quips and comical equipment mishaps, I experienced (as if for the first time) a magical moment: moving images of people who looked like me enjoying a National Park.
The show theme was prompted by Outdoor Afro friend Shelton Johnson by a letter he wrote a couple of years ago inviting Oprah to visit. Shelton knew back then that just a tiny sprinkle of Oprah’s fairy dust could bring the National Parks into focus for Americans, particularly for African Americans, in a new and innovative way.
While I have been in the business of making the visual connection between African Americans and the outdoors, the moment I saw Gayle and Oprah with Shelton and Half-Dome in the horizon, I switched seamlessly from purveyor to customer. The beauty of Oprah and Gayle in that stunning natural space helped me visualize myself there.
And apparently I was not alone in my inspiration. Just after the show, my friend’s 78-year-old father phoned to say that he would like to visit Yosemite with her, and they have made a pact to go in 2011.
But the positive impact this show could have on families with young children is important. Those of us in the outdoor recreation field know that parents, especially mothers, are gatekeepers of outdoor experiences for their families. Therefore, in order for outdoor engagement to become a sustained activity for a new community, there needs to be a lot of support to address barriers such as fears and perceptions, equipment, and repeated, positive visual articulation of what it can look like. See this REI ad as a great model.
So Oprah getting out there camping as an African-American woman is significant, in that it demonstrates possibility. Her televised camping experience is the break-through moment that the field has been waiting for, and has needed in order for the outdoors to become relevant to a wider audience.
It is Outdoor Afro’s hope that the buzz that has come from her effort will not only open up new dialog and inspire new audiences, but also convert this new interest into real outdoor engagement and stewardship.
Did you watch the second half of the show today? What did you think?
Visit the Outdoor Afro Community to find people in your area to join in the outdoors!
My Faux Hike in the Grand Canyon Western South Rim
Submitted by Outdoor Afro Contributor, Terri Davis-Merchant, of the fun blog: Try Anything Once
Faux hiking? Oh yeah! I'm not really into outdoorsy stuff. Perhaps you've noticed that. I mean I guess I'm not really destined for it. Having grown up in a Black working class neighborhood in New York City in the 80's and 90's, sleeping in a tent in the cold with no bathroom wasn't exactly what many considered a vacation. Just sayin'. Even Oprah noticed the lack o' folks o' color during her recent trip to Yosemite. (By the way, I love the name of that blog link, Outdoor Afro.) While Husband J grew up doing more outdoor related things than me, even he likes the comfort of a warm bed (hence, our stay at the El Tovar).
Here is the previous post on the South Rim:
October 26, 2010 – Walking the Grand Canyon South Rim
When we first got to our hotel, it was pouring down hurricane rain, so I couldn't see the canyon at all. At first I refused to look until we got right up to the canyon's edge. I even closed my eyes when we left our hotel so that I could have my own special "first look". Pictures just don't give you the impact of what the Grand Canyon is really like in person. I joked with Husband J that all that we were seeing just couldn't be real. It couldn't be. It's that spectacular.
We set out from our hotel, the El Tovar, and literally walk less than 50 feet to the rim. I'll talk more about the El Tovar and the great advantages to staying there in another post. Since we weren't ready for a far-flung walk that day, we stayed pretty close to the hotel. I will say that the National Park Service has made walking the Grand Canyon Rim pretty easy for almost any visitor. There is a main paved walkway that provides great views, and you can take it almost the length of the South Rim.
For the adventurer, you can move off of the main walkway for an even closer look at edge.
The Trail of Time is also a part of the main walkway in this part of the park. Ever so often there were rock markers with their scientific names and geological ages. Science buffs take note!
This portion of the South Rim happened to have a few shops that are their own historic structures. Verkamp's Visitor Center has been around since the early 20th century (1905 to be exact) and is one of the oldest buildings surrounding the canyon. It started out as a curio (craft) shop and has become an integral part of the South Rim experience.
Verkamp's floor actually has a nice time line showing major points in the history and development of the canyon as a park and tourist site. I learned quite a bit myself including the fact that our hotel was over a 100 years old.
I'm not done with walking the canyon yet. Stay tuned for my pseudo-hiking!
Oprah Goes Camping in Yosemite!
A memo from National Parks Director Jonathan B. Jarvis shares:
"On October 29 and November 1, Oprah Winfrey will devote two entire shows to her overnight camping trip in Yosemite National Park earlier this month. Ms. Winfrey’s visit originated with a letter of invitation from Park Ranger Shelton Johnson. While in the park, Shelton shared his Buffalo Soldierpersona – Elizy Bowman – at an evening campfire chat with Ms. Winfrey and others staying at the Lower Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.
While the shows highlight Ms. Winfrey’s visit to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Tunnel View, her mule ride, and fly fishing on the Merced River, she also raises the question of why there aren’t more visitors of color in national parks.
We all struggle with this question – and what to do about it.
Ms. Winfrey’s visit and the popularity of her show offer the National Park Service an unprecedented opportunity to reach a vast audience of potential first-time visitors and to start a conversation with them.
Coming on the heels of Ken Burns’ acclaimed documentary, these broadcasts promise to take the national parks to heights of visibility rarely seen before, particularly in mass media and pop culture.
At the national level, we are working with the Yosemite staff to create opportunities to leverage the broadcasts and deliver a National Park Service invitation to visit the soon-to-be 393 national parks and learn about these places owned by all Americans.
I encourage all of you to use this opportunity to reach out to your communities. For example, you could host viewing parties with the show as a discussion starter on how to increase the diversity of our visitors or hold “how-to” events over the weekend of October 30-31 to teach the basics of hiking, camping, and visiting for first-timers.
WATCH VIDEO PREVIEW
While we literally had years to prepare for the America's Best Idea broadcast, there is now little more than a week to prepare for these episodes that will reach more than 30 million viewers and millions more through Oprah.com.
I am confident that our innovative and creative employees will rise to the occasion and create immediate opportunities for all Americans to connect with the national park idea."
The Outdoor Afro community is all aflutter about this news, as a major goal of this site is about changing perceptions of who engages with the outdoors. It is especially important that women of color be shown engaging with natural spaces in a positive context, so that others can see the possibility and benefits of building a relationship with treasures such as our national parks -- which belong to everyone.
We hope this won't be the last time we see Oprah camping! Can't wait to hear your comments about the show!
Her Eyes Were Watching God
Outdoor Afro Contributor and Author Brandelyn N. Castine, author of U.G.L.Y talks about how a spiritual salute to the outdoors began her day in a whole new way.
I am the first person to tell you that mornings are not my favorite time of day.
Usually after hitting the snooze button multiple times, I quickly find myself in a flurry of searching through my closet hoping for something decent and not too wrinkled to wear, quick showers, slipshod breakfasts (if any) and rushing out of the door with just enough time to run back in and grab some all important item I forgot to toss in my bag.
This morning was exactly the same, however when I stepped outside, the sky literally took my breath away. It was as if God was reminding me to take a moment, breathe, pause and acknowledge Him. Watching the clouds break up into puffy pieces as the sun began to shine underneath them reminded me that this day is special because like each cloud in the sky it is one of a kind.
We need to take time and acknowledge the world around us. Because I took that moment to breathe and "Watch God" as Zora Neale Hurston would say, my day has been filled with a lot more light and love than it would have been otherwise. Tomorrow morning when you wake up, take a moment and just look up, or look down at the flowers, or straight ahead at the trees and remind yourself that this day is special, because just like you, there will never be another one like it.
Castine currently lives in the Bay Area where she is also a contributing author in the
Gumbo For the Soul Anthology, a project that was created to raise funds to support
literacy programs in the Bay Area. In addition, Brandelyn is currently working as a
freelance writer for Leather, Empress and Vapors Magazines.
Keeping It Wild Gala!
Dianne Glave, Atlanta-based environmental author and Outdoor Afro friend, attended the annual Keeping it Wild Gala last night, a fundraiser for the organization that was created in 2005 by several Atlanta citizen-advocates who perceived the need to bring together members of diverse conservation communities to promote stewardship for the natural lands in the area. Following are Dianne's reflections on the event, originally posted on her fantastic site:
Sometimes better, sometimes easier, to start with endings than beginnings . . .
I sat in the amphitheater at Zoo Atlanta listening to Shelton Johnson. He was the keynote speaker for the 6th Annual Keeping it Wild (KIW) Gala, and is a national park ranger and author of Gloryland. As I listened to Shelton, one row back from me I heard the rhythmic breathing of a six year old girl. Shelton's passionate story-telling and cadence of that small child's breathing mentally and spiritually took me outdoors.
I imagined being at Yosemite National Park, the source of many of Shelton's stories.
Read full story...
Mari's Awesome, Supersplendiferous, Fantasticalicious Camp Pictures
Contributed by Blogger, Author, and Speaker Denene Millner of My Brown Baby a weekly blog that provides thought-provoking, insightful, wickedly funny commentary on motherhood, for moms who love their brown babies, by moms who do the same. Through their posts, our MyBrownBaby bloggers lift the voices of African-American moms looking for the 411/advice/a high-five on everything from pregnancy and childrearing to sex, work, and relationships—all filtered through the lens of the African American experience.
So my baby Mari survived her first sleepaway camp. More specifically, I survived Mari's first sleepaway camp. She was gone for three... excruciatingly... looooong... days, hiking, repelling down mountains, shooting arrows, zip-lining, and sleeping in the woods with her two teachers, whom I like and trust (I guess, considering I'd only met them in person, like, twice), and her class. The only reason I didn't do the total freakout is because she went with her Uncle James, bless his dear heart, who drove, and her cousin Miles, who loves and protects Mari like his very life depends on it.
I was so very happy when she got home, but you know what made me even more happy? When she came back with a smile on her face, a giggle in her voice and incredible stories about how much fun she had hanging with new friends, watching the sunrise, celebrating the Earth (she's quite the environmentalist!) and summonsing up the strength and courage to overcome her fear of heights to do the repelling and zip lining. I'm super proud of baby girl. And I know that with this camp trip, she took one more step not away from me, but toward her independence.
To celebrate Mari's big girl moves, I wanted to share with you some shots she took with her camera, which she hardly ever leaves home without. The girl is NICE with the Casio AND nice with the verbs (she's the bold writer of the captions below each picture). Check it... and if you're so moved, show sweetness some love in the comments section.
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This is the curvy mountainous road up the huge hill to Camp Greenville.
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| My pretty nice cabin (for a camp); girls on the right, boys on the left. |
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| My activities group walking to our next fun activity through the shortcut. |
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| One of the weird, exotic leaves that we came across on our wilderness trek, called Sassafrass. |
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| The sky through the trees on a sunny day. |
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| Our view of the orangey sunrise at Pretty Place. |
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| The rules at the awesome archery range that we went to for our activities |
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| The two targets that all of us shot at with our bows and arrows. |
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| My bow that I used to shoot. |
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| The ropes course that we had to WALK on high up in the air. |
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| Some of my group members jumping across the stream towards the water fall. |
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| A close up of the running water in the stream. |
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| My hand in the water while trying to take a picture. The water was freezing cold. |
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| Me having a blast in front of Rainbow Falls (the huge waterfall) |