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.
5 ways to support Outdoor Afro starting GivingTuesday
November signals a time to restock personal nature spaces and refocus future ambitions as the winter months and the new year approaches. The month also gravitates to giving. Following Thanksgiving is GivingTuesday held Nov. 29, 2022. The global generosity movement will kick off end-of-year giving for national not-for-profit organization Outdoor Afro to close out the year.
“Because of our supporters, we get to be first responders to engage and lift up local connections in nature around the country,” said Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro. “These contributions also allow us to help more people take better care of our community and planet joyously while creating unforgettable, equitable fun and access to Black joy and healing in nature.” Year-round programs and projects supporters and the general public may not know their contributions actually help uplift within the network and throughout the United States:
OUTDOOR AFRO LEADERSHIP TRAINING: This annual training guides the newest class of volunteer leaders through best practices for navigating and leading in nature. Nicknamed “OALT,” the weekend experience held in April equips a select group of volunteers from across the country with the essential outdoor skills needed to return to their hometowns and guide their local communities outside sustainably and safely. To date, Outdoor Afro includes more than 100 volunteer leaders who represent the network’s four regions: Northeast, Midwest, South, and West.
LOCAL ACTIVITIES: Once OALT completes, volunteer leaders develop, host, and lead local activities in their local to regional communities. Activities can cover anything from neighborhood historical walks and cultural park bird watching to biking, hiking, gardening, skiing, fishing, swimming, geocaching, nature journaling, and kayaking. Volunteers often gauge and offer activities that any age group would enjoy pursuing in nature. Volunteers hold more than 1,200 in-person and online events each year.
PADDLE CAMP: Held in August each year, this seven-day summer camp introduces volunteer leaders (10 canoers and 10 kayakers) to effective paddling techniques, safety on the water, and wilderness first aid training to apply through their individual networks. In collaboration with boating and fishing equipment brand Northwest River Supplies, the camp helps strengthen volunteers’ canoeing and kayaking knowledge, and navigation of various waterways. Paddle Camp also prepares volunteers for certification through the American Canoe Association. Outdoor Afro now includes 26 volunteer leaders who are certified canoe or kayak instructors.
MAKING WAVES: The 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, the network provides Swimmerships™ (swim lesson scholarships). At 357 Swimmerships™ completed, the program continues to grow support from brands like global footwear KEEN to bring awareness and stronger connections to water.
JUNETEENTH: Because media created this flawed narrative of Juneteenth being a “celebration” to the end of U.S. slavery, Outdoor Afro educates 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. The network corrects this oftentimes “celebratory” story by rephrasing the day as a “commemoration.” To honor those who were denied 2.5 years of freedom, Outdoor Afro encourages partners, communities, and networks to spend 2.5 hours in nature, reflecting on what freedom means to them.
DONATE TO THESE PROGRAMS TODAY
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.
Thanksgiving and the Outdoors
Originally posted Thanksgiving, November 25th, 2009...Enjoy!
Thanksgiving in my family is more than the delicious turkey, pies, and cobblers my sister Delane makes; it is also a celebration of food that preserves the memories and experiences of those who have passed on, symbolized through the remaking of family recipes…Cherrie’s dressing, Ella mae’s Pea Salad...the matriarchs of my family pulled greens from their garden for dinner, they plucked the feathers of fresh foul, and cleaned the fish they caught in local lakes for Friday fish fries.
Our family also has gratitude for the new generation and experiences that nod toward the future by introducing new culinary creations, such as the anticipated “newlywed dish” from Christine and Antoine this year, my next-generation cornbread dressing that has become a family favorite, and Uncle Jerry’s deep fried turkey that produces the juiciest, tastiest bird in record time.
With everyone at the table, sometimes for the first time in months, it’s a perfect time to discuss goals for your family in the coming year and also celebrate the accomplishments.
This year at the table, I hope you will join me in having a discussion with your loved ones about ways to get back in touch with the outdoors. I’ll bet someone at the table, especially an elder, can recall circumstances that mirror Cherrie and Ella mae’s, and remind us at a personal level the intimate and sustainable interaction possible with the outdoors. These shared experiences can connect people more than we imagine, so don't let your eyes glaze over when the elders are speaking...you'll miss something important, I assure you.
The point is not to create a complicated or overly-ambitious plan for the outdoors, but to figure out what activities feel comfortable for everyone and commit to do something. Perhaps it’s a short family hike over this holiday weekend; planning more picnics, starting a family garden, taking up bird-watching, or perhaps polling to see which child (or adult) still needs to learn to swim, and make it a family goal for everyone to learn how before summer.
If you are an outdoorsy family already, then break out the recent trip photos and recall stories to celebrate your activities, keep the excitement around them alive, and inspire new adventure ideas.
I am profoundly thankful Outdoor Afro is here (and growing) to share the diverse experiences of folks of color doing outdoor activities, while inspiring more people to reconnect with outdoor activities that are not as otherworldly as they sometimes appear.
From my family to yours – Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!
My very best,
Rue