Our work to create Champions of Nature through education and inspiration cannot be achieved without racial and social justice as well. We stand in solidarity with those seeking justice and change, and are committed to doing our part to ensure diversity, equity and inclusion are at the forefront of our work. Everyone should feel welcome and safe to enjoy the outdoors.
We recognize we have work to do. It is not news that environmental organizations often lack in diversity, ourselves included. We are not a leader in this movement, but our goal is to be an ally. We are showing up by listening and educating ourselves, as well as taking action to be more inclusive and equitable in our work. In July 2019, we began a multi-year staff training and educational program in diversity, equity and inclusion. We are continuing those necessary and important conversations and applying what we learn in the work we do. We continue to ask ourselves what we can do to combat racism and inequality and are taking steps to diversify our opportunities and programming.
We’ve created this blog — and will be regularly updating it — to point to resources, articles and other applicable information that may help guide us in our work, amplify melanated voices and highlight disparities in diversity in the outdoor industry.
READ
How We Can Build an Anti-Racist Outdoor Industry by Ayesha McGowan for Outside Magazine
Breaking Down the Lack of Diversity in Outdoor Spaces – National Health Foundation
Why Every Environmentalist Should Be Anti-Racist by Leah Thomas for Vogue
Bad Things Happen in the Woods: the Anxiety of Hiking While Black by Candice Pires for The Guardian
It Matters Who You See in Outdoor Media by Carolyn Finney for Outside Magazine
We’re Here, You Just Don’t See Us by Latria Graham for Outside Magazine
Diversity in the Great Outdoors: Is Everyone Welcome in America’s Parks and Public Lands? by Reyna Askew and Margaret A. Walls for Resources Magazine
Black Bodies, Green Spaces by Taya Miles for New York TImes Op-ed
Photographing Nature While Black: One Man’s Quest to Make Green Spaces Less White by Kate Yoder for Grist
Black Communities are Reclaiming Space Outdoors, From Backyard Gardening to Mountain Climbing by Carla Bell for Yes! Magazine
“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack and “Some Notes for Facilitators” by Peggy McIntosh
11 African American Outdoor Leaders Who Inspire Us (Hipcamp)
Historical Perspective on Racism in the Outdoors and Looking Forward (American Trails)
The Unbearable Whiteness of Hiking and How to Solve It (Sierra Club)
Pride outside: How the outdoor industry is missing out with a $1 trillion LGBTQ+ blind spot (Startland News)
What the outdoor rec industry doesn’t get about the LGBTQ community (High Country News)
Pride in their Voices (Outdoor Retailer)
12 LGBTQ+ Outdoor Leaders Making a Difference (Hipcamp)
These Proud LGBTQ Adventurers are Putting the ‘Out’ in Outdoors (Grist)
Have You Ever Seen an Openly Gay Guy in an Outdoors Ad? (Outside Magazine)
LGBTQ+ Adventurers, in Their Own Words (REI)
Why True Allyship is an Adventure (Outdoor Research)
LGBTQ+ Adventurers Are All About Getting Out in the Woods (Sierra Club)
The Outdoors Still Has a Major Diversity Problem (Shape Magazine)
How Outdoor Companies Can Back Up Their DEI Pledges (Outside Magazine)
Three Ways to Build a More Inclusive Outdoor Culture (Melanin Base Camp)
Building Cultural Empathy and Celebrating Diversity in Nature-Based Early Childhood Education (Natural Start)
The Benefits of Outdoor Education Aren’t Accessible to All (High Country News)
Yo Quento (Latino Outdoors Blog)
Leading the Latinx Community Outdoors (National Parks Foundation)
Latino Outdoors Doesn’t Want to be Extreme (Outside Magazine)
The strangeness of being a Latina who loves hiking (Vox)
Children’s Books
A Diverse Summer Reading List for Kids
28 Great Black History Book Month Books for Kids
Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees by Franck Prevot (Author), Aurélia Fronty (Illustrator)
Young, Proud, and Sung-Jee: A Children’s Book on Fighting Anti-Asian Racism During Covid-19
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
A Different Pond by Bao Phi
Lailah’s Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh by Uma Krishnaswami
LISTEN
Black Folks & Nature (KALW)
I Worship Every Bird That I See (On Being)
WATCH
Creating a New Narrative of People & Nature
Birds of North America with Jason Ward
RESOURCES
50 Black, Indigenous & POC-Owned Outdoor Collectives to Support (Field Mag)
Your Kids Aren’t Too Young to Talk About Race – Resource Roundup
CR metro library resources on anti-racism
Center for Diversity & the Environment resources
Dismantling racism, a resource book
Avarna – Insights & Resources for Environmental & Outdoor Leaders & Their Organizations
The Melanin Basecamp Guide to Outdoor Allyship
How to Respond to Coronavirus Racism (Learning for Justice)
Anti-Racism Resources to Support Asian-American, Pacific Islander Community
How to raise Kids to Be Allies
What White Children Need to Know About Race
Asian Americans and Racial Justice: Historical Context Slides
Problematic Statements and Questions
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Tracking Hate Stories
Asian American Mental Health Collective directory of APISAA therapists
AAPA Division on Practice list of COVID-related mental health resources
Free bystander intervention training to stop anti-Asian/American and xenophobic harassment
1 Comment. Leave new
What a fantastic and valuable resource!