Washington Park
Washington Park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a unique outdoor destination. Historic urban park on the city’s West Side. It also holds special significance, serving Milwaukee’s Black neighborhoods and a hub for cultural events.
Recommended Activities: Visitors can enjoy cycling, fishing, and walking here.
Tips for a Safe & Enjoyable Visit:
- Check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.
- Bring appropriate licenses and follow local fishing regulations.
- Respect cultural heritage sites and follow Leave No Trace principles.
- Carry a repair kit and check your tires before riding.
- Wear a helmet and reflective gear for safety.
Outdoor Afro searches for visionary Chief Operating Officer to lead not-for-profit's pivotal ‘Year of Innovation’
Outdoor Afro is where Black people and nature meet. It’s also where a new Chief Operating Officer can help strategically guide the national not-for-profit organization’s daily operations. “We’re now in search of a Chief Operating Officer who can partner with me as an executive leader,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp, “an individual who can lead and manage our talented team. Someone who is also a skilled organizational manager.” In its “Year of Innovation” and now 15th year since its founding, Outdoor Afro seeks a leader who can inspire and drive innovation internally for high-impact program results. This role involves optimizing operations, providing financial oversight, and leading development, partnerships, and board engagement.
Outdoor Afro is seeking a candidate who can ensure operational efficiency, strategic alignment, financial health, strong board relations, high-performing teams, domain expertise, and thought leadership. The organization started as a blog and social enterprise by Mapp. She incorporated Outdoor Afro in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) and has led it since as CEO. The organization has grown from that blog and three founding board members to 12 full-time staff and a 13-member Board of Directors. Outdoor Afro's operating budget has grown from a modest $110,000 in revenue in 2015 to now $4 million – largely from foundations, individuals, and corporate partner support.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
Outdoor Afro’s Georgia networks offer silver- and small-screen views to capture nature, Southern living
The future naturalist framed up the plant IDing scene with such fervor. Conviction. Even care. Every google-eyed expression and conductor hand gesture queued plant life. As if it was taking center stage. His soft smile pulled community participants into the Lionel Hampton Greenway Trail. The old-growth storyline voice-overed by Southern hospitality. “So, this is actually turkey tail mushrooms,” said Outdoor Afro volunteer leader Dajawn Williams, 27, “and guess what? It’s edible.” “Edible!” One hiker blurted in the background with an unsure side eye. Williams’ grin deepened with a few promising head nods. Oohs and ahhs then bounced around the forest floor. Promptly, he waved the group of 23 local explorers into a direction of more shocking nature sights along their 2-mile urban wander. This Feb. 10 Black History Month activity taught Atlanta attendees how to recognize special species within their Outdoor Afro network and neighborhood greenspace. The experience also unearthed Black contributions connected to the nature preserve.
To that point, the greenway trail is named after former landowner and famous Black jazz musician Lionel Hampton. Hampton donated much of the right-of-way for the trail during 1993. Designed today for cycling, hiking, agritouring, and picnicking. The historic Black district and site on Atlanta’s west side features the most archaeologically significant Civil War trenches in the region. “This area’s infrastructure included a mill, cemetery for enslaved Black people, and a rock quarry,” said guest speaker, naturalist, and local historian James Tyler. “After the Civil War, Black farmers who lived south of Atlanta moved up to become railroad and mill workers.” Over time, these stories evolved into backdrops to what’s now designated as the “Hollywood of the South.” It’s been more than a decade that metro Atlanta’s mushrooming film and TV industry generated blockbuster momentum. Primarily because of the Peach State’s benevolent tax break.
Major studios popped up and big-budget projects like “The Hunger Games,” “The Walking Dead,” and the Marvel franchise settled into their new Southern home. During 2022, Marvel’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” became the highest-grossing movie with a female superhero lead at the U.S. box office – the latest example of the high-earning films attracted to Georgia. In recent times, production opportunities have tapered off for some creatives, too. However, Gov. Brian P. Kemp reassured Georgians that the silver- and small-screen industry is forging ahead: “Georgia remains a global leader in film, TV, and streaming productions,” said Kemp in a Sept. 13, 2023, press release by the Georgia Film Office. “Those who benefit most from the significant growth we’ve seen in this industry over the past couple of decades are hardworking Georgians who fill the many behind-the-camera jobs that come with each project. That’s why we’ve worked hard to attract these and other opportunities for those who call the Peach State home.”
Last year, the state celebrated 50 years of the Georgia Film Office, a strategic post within the Georgia Department of Economic Development that helps mature Georgia's film, TV, and commercial production industries through marketing, scouting, and coordinating project needs. The office reported productions spent $4.1 billion in Georgia during fiscal year 2023. Between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023, the state hosted 390 productions, represented by 31 feature films, 55 independent films, 40 commercials, 23 music videos, and 241 TV and episodic productions. Travel an hour and some change south into Middle Georgia where Outdoor Afro participants have the chance to explore newer rural trails, farm life, and film tours later this year. Williams’ next stop: Dauset Trails Nature Center in Jackson, Georgia – a 15-minute ride away from where Netflix's hit sci-fi drama series “Stranger Things” filmed. The nature center provides mountain and e-bike courses; backpacking and camping; and farmstead sightseeing.
Williams linked up with Outdoor Afro’s Founder and CEO Rue Mapp at the nature center. The two went on a site visit to reimagine what foraging, farming, and family-centric activities could look like for his network and others in the organization’s “Year of Innovation.” “I’m continually in awe of the natural resources found in our volunteer networks,” said Mapp. “To visit places like Dauset helps people discover opportunities to reconnect to nature close to home, and be inspired by the natural and human history you can always find in these places.” For 15 years now, Outdoor Afro has celebrated and inspired Black connections and leadership in nature across the United States. The national not-for-profit organization reconnects Black communities to outdoor conservation, recreation, and education through networks located in 60 cities and 32 states, including Washington, D.C. By way of more than 1,200 planned and hosted network activities, volunteer leaders like Williams reintroduce more than 60,000 people to the outdoors annually. “We’re on a journey to reach more rural and urban communities,” Mapp said. “Nature, travel, tourism, and the shows and movies we all grew up on are ways to imagine new connections.”
After Dauset Trails, a truck ride to downtown Jackson (the state’s outdoor capital) zapped Mapp into the make-believe town of Hawkins, Indiana, from the TV show “Stranger Things.” She toured real-life locations, replaying memorable scenes from the series’ Hawkins Library, back alley, and Radio Shack. The coolest Outdoor Afro clip of the day: Mapp propped with a pizza box and visor inside the iconic Surfer Boy Pizza vanagon, a.k.a. Pizzamobile. Headed back south on U.S. Hwy 23, a pitstop to Juliette, Georgia, revisited Cicely Tyson’s role in the 1991 comedy-drama “Fried Green Tomatoes.” Where the movie’s Whistle Stop Cafe is still open for business and serves Southern cuisine – most notably, of course, the menu’s crispy fried green tomatoes. Described in one word: De-lish! The final destination for Mapp’s agritourism and film-guided driving tour traveled 42 miles east along backcountry roads to Milledgeville, Georgia. The fourth capital of the state and where actress Julia Roberts’ character, Vivian, in “Pretty Woman” said she came from.
Mapp drove through camera-ready site Central State Hospital. Established in 1842, the campus became known as the “world’s largest mental institution” by the 1960s. It included more than 12,000 patients, 6,000 employees, and more than 8,000 acres of land. By 2010, the dilapidated complex closed. Four years later, “The Originals” (spin-off to The CW Network’s “The Vampire Diaries”) filmed episodes at the hospital. Interestingly, the eerie site still produces a pecan grove that attracts the community, schools, and families to year-round nature activities. “That’s the thing about nature,” said Reginal Black, 59, who joined the Feb. 10 Outdoor Afro plant IDing activity. Black relocated to Atlanta from California to live closer to family. “Nature ties us all back to our local histories and community stories,” he said. “Why I’ve been attending network events like this one with the organization and Rue since 2009.”
SUPPORT OUR STORYTELLING SERIES
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Connect with @outdoorafro on social and visit outdoorafro.org to follow our year-round nature narratives.
2023 Holiday Gear Guide: 9 Outdoor Afro-recommended stocking stuffers for next year’s adventures
Outdoor Afro has tested and provided honest commentary to a great deal of gear and equipment. Throughout nearly 15 years of organizational existence, some have been a definite no. Others aight. Then, there are the keepers. As headquarter doors close to spend more time with family and friends this winter, Outdoor Afro's gift to you are a few nature goodies that top 2023's Holiday Gear Guide. Products staff, volunteer leaders, and community participants use and share frank feedback about across U.S. neighborhoods. Check out the brands highly endorsed for 2024 adventures connected to land, water, and wildlife. This list of both legacy and new brand partners goes beyond mere social collaborations. Outdoor Afro's here-and-now partnerships are true relationships – ones valued and cultivated to help communities make informed decisions about products and services that truly benefit a range of nature lifestyles.
CLIF BAR SNACKS
CLIF® Bar was born on a bike in 1990 and built with athletes in mind. The idea for a better-tasting bar was born. Today, CLIF® Bar continues to make organic, plant-based energy food. For nearly a decade, CLIF® Bar has been a proud partner of Outdoor Afro. CLIF® continues to grow its partnership with CLIF CORPS, an initiative where CLIF® Athletes donate their time and resources to support nonprofits that make the spaces where we live and play more accessible and inclusive. In 2022, professional tennis icon and CLIF® Athlete Venus Williams joined Outdoor Afro on a beach hike to experience our organizational mission: celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature. Williams and Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp met for the first time and both participated in a local Outdoor Afro beach hike held in Miami. Sharing their love of the outdoors at Virginia Key Beach. CLIF® Bar and Outdoor Afro believe people should feel proud to be who they are, wherever they are — on the court, trail, field, or elsewhere.
ENO HAMMOCKS
Shop and get ready to swing away with Eagle Nest Outfitters (ENO) colorful selection of hammocks. Our organization truly believes in the quality leisure experiences this gift can also afford you, family, and friends. In fact, Outdoor Afro received the fun opportunity to co-brand a limited-edition print with ENO not once. But twice. Together, we rolled out the Kili Mapp Kili. First in 2021, which sold out. Then, in 2022 for a fall relaunched that made its way to newer backyards and road trips that year. “I wanted people to feel warmth and joy every time they’re in this hammock,” said Leandra Taylor, Outdoor Afro volunteer leader and artist behind the then in-demand design. Know that ENO designs hammocks that are portable, packable, and always adventure-ready with the latest design technology.
KEEN WATER SANDALS
KEEN inspires everyone to live with no ceiling. This family-owned, values-led maker of hybrid footwear – sandals, boots, and sneakers – produces more than products. The care KEEN puts behind each shoe is a true experience that positively impacts our planet. Better known as the KEEN Effect. KEEN responsibly creates original and versatile products designed to fit the diverse lifestyles of its fans at work and play. The shoe creator has been an Outdoor Afro legacy partner since 2012. The time-honored partnership segued into a water sandal collaboration in 2021 to help bring awareness about our Making Waves program. Launched in 2019, this life-saving, water-nurturing program helps every child and their caregiver within our sphere of influence learn how to swim. This year, Outdoor Afro set an ambitious goal to teach 1,000 children and guardians water safety and basic swim techniques. Our Programs Department is happy to report: Outdoor Afro hit the splash mark because of supporters like you.
KLEAN KANTEEN THERMOS
This gear has filled up Outdoor Afro volunteer leader adventure kits for years. Klean Kanteen offers colors that pop in nature, but it’s the durability for us. Especially for those longer hikes, bumpier bike rides, and multi-day camping trips across our regions. Ninety-five percent of Klean Kanteen’s products are made with recycled steel. The family- and employee-owned B Corp lives for big ideas and the boldest of moves to produce quality outdoor gear. Another legacy partner of Outdoor Afro, Klean Kanteen donates to our year-round programs. The brand also helps ensure our volunteer leaders and community participants know how to make healthy, eco-friendly choices before going outside. “We choose partners who believe in the work we’re doing and want to support that work,” said Mapp. “We prefer ‘trust partnerships’ like the one we have with Klean Kanteen, where they offer a combination of financial resources, in-kind support, and amplification of our message. This is so important to us. We truly believe that impact arises out of relationships, not just financial donations.”
OUTDOOR AFRO x OAKLANDISH SHIRT COLLECTION
It’s our not-for-profit organization’s coziest collection. Co-branded with longtime community partner Oaklandish, our signature shop of tees, hoodies, and long-sleeve tops are comfortable conversation pieces. A year ago this month, the collection relaunched with only Outdoor Afro's most popular shirts. These shirts are gifts that keep on giving, too. Know that each purchase continues to support core year-round programming. You can also become a repeat holiday helper here. “We recognized early that our community loves our logo, and wants to represent it loud and proud,” said Mapp. “Having a merch store is a fun and accessible way for our community to continue to support our charitable work. As a longstanding collaborator, we’re ever more excited to now embark on this new chapter of collaboration with Oaklandish.”
OUTDOOR AFRO INC. x REI-CO-OP HIKE COLLECTION
Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) believes a life outdoors is a life well-lived. That it’s in the wild, untamed, and natural places that people find their best selves, so its purpose is to awaken a lifelong love of the outdoors for all. Since 1938, REI has been the local outdoor co-op working to help people experience the transformational power of nature. Another legacy partner for Outdoor Afro, the co-op brings top-quality gear and apparel, expert advice, rental equipment, inspiring stories of life outside, and outdoor experiences to enjoy independently or share with loved ones. In 2021, for-profit enterprise Outdoor Afro, Inc. (corporate partner of not-for-profit Outdoor Afro), came online and co-created a hike collection with the co-op that debuted September 2022. The multi-year, universal collection offers electric hike fits for all body types and neighborhood experiences.
SMARTWOOL SOCKS
Restock your sock collection with comfy styling options co-created by our heritage partner, and global sock and apparel brand Smartwool. Its Merino wool socks feature a Virtually Seamless™ Toe to prevent chafing; 4 Degree™ Elite Fit System to stop bunching, blisters, or sock slippage; Indestructawool™ for unmatched durability; and mesh venting for maximum breathability and moisture management. Our organization had the chance to collaborate with Smartwool on two Outdoor Afro Hike Zero Cushion Print Crew Socks in previous years. “Slice of Nature” socks in 2020 and a “Black Joy” in nature collage socks in 2022 that launched on the heels of our then second annual Juneteenth commemoration.
STANLEY COOKWEAR
Stanley products have literally traveled on oodles of American outdoor adventures for more than 100 years now. The brand has powered daily coffee breaks. Assisted meal prep days in nature. Provided the right amount of storage gear for food and beverages (on and off the road). With each passing year, Stanley continues to innovate, bringing timeless and modern solutions for outdoor exploration to backyard chill sessions. Outdoor Afro champions brands like Stanley for helping to build more sustainable communities through modern, reusable products. Through Outdoor Afro camping events that take place throughout each year, volunteer leaders, network participants, the organization’s staff, use Stanley products to make outdoor cooking creations easier to manage.
YAKIMA RACKS
Outdoor Afro participants across our U.S. networks love a good neighborhood bike hike – whether it's in the form of leisure, mountain, or road cycling. For avid cyclists who join our bike rides, we highly recommend Yakima’s single to multiple rack options for regular riders. Why? Because we literally use them ourselves. Since 2012, our partnership with Yakima has traditionally included leadership education about how to use its gear and equipment easily and safely. Yakima affords durable designs for off-road, eBikes, and even RV travels. For “power” explorers, Yakima supplies snow, water, and basecamp equipment to prepare for 2024 Outdoor Afro trips with us as well. *Illustrations by Dajah Callen.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro's U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro @outdoorafro and outdoorafro.org.
Outdoor Afro opens enrollment for 2024-2025 cohort of nature innovators in neighborhoods nationwide
National not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro seeks new volunteer leaders to lead local activities that creatively reconnect U.S. neighborhoods to land, water, and wildlife. “The Outdoor Afro volunteer leader is a truly unique community leadership role that has attracted scientists, athletes, farmers, foragers, artists, animal lovers, and adventurers passionate about sharing their expertise,” said Outdoor Afro’s Chief Program & Innovation Officer DD Johnice. “So if you love being out in nature – and crafting unforgettable experiences for friends, family, and your community – join us.” Annually, the organization continues to expand and recruit new volunteer leaders.
For the 2024-2025 cohort year, Outdoor Afro is in pursuit of nature pioneers who care about and have expertise in outdoor recreation; actively engage in lifestyle activities (biking, hiking, trail running, fishing, foraging, farming, watersports) and; want to share their joy and knowledge with Black people in their local community. Outdoor Afro searches for outdoor creatives, educators, and explorers in the following locations: Denver, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Asheville, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Dallas, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Austin, Texas; Houston Texas; Iowa; Wisconsin; Columbus, Ohio; Cincinnati, Ohio; Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina; Tallahassee, Florida; Portland, Oregon; Chicago-NW Indiana, Illinois; and Atlanta, Georgia.
“Outdoor Afro’s volunteer leaders have been incredible stewards of our almost 15-year mission of inspiring and celebrating Black connections and leadership in nature,” said Outdoor Afro’s Program Strategy & Growth Manager Gina Wright. “Through this leadership opportunity, our organization makes sure these outdoor innovators are able to grow their risk management skills; gain access to modern gear and equipment; and participate in our meaningful partnerships to strengthen relationships to nature.”
Outdoor Afro volunteer leaders also receive opportunities to experience free or discounted admission to national parks; contribute to national media stories about the organization; and access annual training at secluded retreat spaces. Once selected, volunteer leaders attend Outdoor Afro Leadership Training (nicknamed OALT) held each year in April at a private nature location in the United States. During this signature training dubbed the brand’s “most wonderful time of the year,” OALT equips volunteer leaders with essential tools to guide their local communities in nature sustainably and safely.
The training is organized by staff and experienced volunteers who share Outdoor Afro’s history, values, best practices, and industry knowledge, including: trip planning basics, health impacts of nature, conservation ethics, risk management, and effective social media storytelling practices. New leaders learn how to center joy in the outdoors while also disrupting a false perception that Black people do not have a relationship to nature.
Outdoor Afro formed nearly 15 years ago with the mission of celebrating and inspiring Black connections and leadership in nature. The organization established OALT in 2012. With just a dozen volunteer outdoor enthusiasts, OALT became an opportunity for each to take the call and digest directly from Outdoor Afro’s Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. Her nature calling: teaching outdoor innovators how to inspire and guide unforgettable experiences in the outdoors. Are you the next open-air expert Outdoor Afro is looking for?
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro @outdoorafro and outdoorafro.org.
DD Johnice: Outdoor Afro's Chief Program & Innovation Officer
She's a lot of cool titles. Serial entrepreneur, accomplished strategist, innovation executive, and mom. DD Johnice has successfully built a career of solving problems that matter to employers, customers, and society. Today, she serves as Outdoor Afro’s inaugural Chief Program & Innovation Officer. In this role, she implements original programmatic strategic initiatives; leads the organization’s digital strategy and transformation; and engages in fundraising and partnership endeavors to scale the national not-for-profit organization.
Johnice collaborates across the senior management team and board of directors on operational and programmatic strategies, including marketing strategy, customer journey optimization, and external relationship development. She plays a vital role in cultivating existing relationships with public and private funders while driving marketing efforts to enhance program impact and reach.
For more than 20 years, Johnice has held leadership roles in every aspect of innovation — creative, technical, human capital, and business — across the healthcare, advertising, retail, and media industries. She also serves as CEO and Chief Product Officer of The Wonder Guild, a speculative design advisory she founded in 2000. Johnice nurtured a global following of senior leaders she advises on developing products and systems that grow enterprises while protecting the environment; respecting and improving human lives; and becoming global citizen leaders with ESG-based growth models.
Within the healthcare industry, Johnice led a multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, designers, and strategists as the Vice President, Health Transformation Lab for Blue Shield of California. The team partnered across the enterprise to develop partnerships, products, and services that make healthcare more affordable, equitable, and valuable to members, healthcare providers, and customers.
Prior to joining Blue Shield, Johnice guided digital health, community health, and social innovation teams at Kaiser Permanente. She and her team applied technology and startup economy approaches to tackling the social determinants of health to improve health outcomes and quality of life for all. Johnice describes herself as a “weaver,” a natural dot connector.
She excels at combining the best from every industry, market, and people to new teams and ventures; building new capabilities; crafting new products and services; and leading transformative, sustainable, and equitable change. When not working, Johnice enjoys nature hikes and aquaponics with her brilliant daughter. She also likes writing, sculling, and collecting cute robots and Japanese dollhouses.
ABOUT OUTDOOR AFRO: Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. What started as a kitchen table blog by Founder and CEO Rue Mapp in 2009 has since grown into a cutting-edge nationwide organization. Outdoor Afro’s U.S. networks include nearly 100-plus volunteer leaders who guide nature activities in up to 60 cities with network participation reaching 60,000 people annually. Outdoor Afro reconnects Black people to the outdoors through outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Follow Outdoor Afro @outdoorafro and outdoorafro.org.
Nature gateways to GivingTuesday 2023 with Outdoor Afro
Symbolizing a season of replenishing and re-establishing oneself before the new year, November equally sets giving into motion. Right after Thanksgiving is GivingTuesday. Known as a global generosity moment, the Nov. 28, 2023, day launches Outdoor Afro’s end-of-year giving to wrap up the organization’s annual accomplishments in nature and neighborhoods nationwide. “This time of year always brings us a sense of warmth and gratitude,” said Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “Because of our supporters’ belief and investment in our organization, Outdoor Afro is able to continue to serve as both nature stewards and neighborhood lifesavers as we care for each other and our planet.” As Outdoor Afro looks back on the past 11 months, here are all the ways supporters have continued to help achieve its mission work to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature:
OUTDOOR AFRO LEADERSHIP TRAINING: This annual training held in April each year guides the newest class of volunteer leaders through best practices for creating activities and leading in nature safely and sustainably. The weekend training is designed to equip a select group of volunteers and innovators from across the United States with the essential outdoor skills needed to return to their hometowns and guide their local communities outside in outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. Outdoor Afro professionally develops more than 100 volunteer leaders who represent the organization's four regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.
LOCAL ACTIVITIES: After Outdoor Afro Leadership Training completes, volunteer leaders originate, host, and guide events in their local to regional communities. These authentic activities range from neighborhood historical walks and cultural art experiences to gardening, biking, hiking, fishing, swimming, skiing, geocaching, nature journaling, and kayaking. Volunteers provide more than 1,200 in-person to online events for multigenerational participants to join.
MAKING WAVES: The life-saving program formed in response to the alarming number of Black children who drown today tied to the historic prohibition of Black access to public swimming pools and beaches. Since 2019, Outdoor Afro’s goal has been to teach every Black child and their caregiver in its sphere of influence learn how to swim. Currently, Outdoor Afro provides Swimmerships™ (swim lesson scholarships) through Making Waves. With 1,200 Swimmerships™ completed before the end of 2023, the program continues to gain support from brands like KEEN and CLIF Bar to help bring awareness and stronger connections to water.
JUNETEENTH: Media created a flawed narrative about Juneteenth. Labeling it as a “celebration” to the end of slavery in the United States. For the past two years, Outdoor Afro has educated the public about the reality of the situation. June 19, 1865, is the date when 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free – 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation (signed Jan. 1, 1863) went into effect. Outdoor Afro corrects this oftentimes “celebratory” story by rephrasing the day as a “commemoration.” To honor those who were denied 2.5 years of freedom, the organization encourages its networks, partners, and communities to spend 2.5 hours in nature to reflect on what freedom means to them.
Created in 2012, GivingTuesday unleashes the power of radical generosity – the concept that the suffering of others should be as intolerable as one’s own suffering. The New York City-founded nonprofit includes a global network of collaborators that encourage goodness around the world. Its mission is to build a world where generosity is part of everyday life. As simple as making someone smile. Assisting a stranger. Addressing a community issue. Every act counts. “Our work would not have had the chance to grow and flourish for nearly 15 years now without consistent and enthusiastic support,” Mapp said. “We're only able to fulfill our mission to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature because of our supporters' trust and participation in our mission, which fuels our passion and gratitude each day.”
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.
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.
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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.