Together Outdoors Coalition

10/24/2024

📢 Please join Ambreen Tariq (), Senior Director of ORR, for an exciting conversation about trust-based philanthropy advancing recreation with industry leaders Ledford Duncan (), Executive Director of , Jil Littlejohn Bostick (), VP of Corporate Responsibility & Inclusion at , and Darren Josey, Founder at on October 30th at 12:30 PM EST. Register at the link in our bio!

05/03/2024

GRANTEES ANNOUNCED: Together Outdoors has selected the awardees of its Inclusive Micro-Grant Program grants totaling $70,000. This grant program is aimed at bolstering capacity for small and rural grassroots organizations that are key to creating a more inclusive and welcoming outdoor recreation environment for all.

Learn about the grantees here: https://tinyurl.com/3px6seah

"We are thrilled and honored to celebrate the achievements of our newest awardees in the second round of our Inclusive Micro-Grant Program. Over the months we will be profiling each awardee and the incredible ways they are expanding outdoor access for all,” said Ambreen F. Tariq, Senior Program Director at Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and Together Outdoors Coalition Lead.

Together Outdoors received nearly 300 applications in this second round of its grant program, which is triple the amount of applicants from the first round. After a thorough review, Together Outdoors selected eight finalists to receive funding awards ranging from $6,000 to $10,000.

These projects serve many diverse communities from Alaska to Massachusetts and directly help expand opportunities for outdoor recreation activities–from better access for people with disabilities and youth cycling programs, to community economic development and nature therapy, to Native land/cultural history training and historical storytelling of Black Americans’ contributions to our national parks, and so much more.

03/17/2023

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Together Outdoors would like you to meet some of the female trailblazers whose exploits and hard work have set examples and opened doors for all people in every aspect of the outdoor experience. Their achievements span the past 100 years and are shaping outdoor inclusivity today and tomorrow.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Together Outdoors would like you to meet  some of the female trailblazers whose exploits and hard work have set examples and opened doors for all people in every aspect of the outdoor experience. Their achievements span the past 100 years and are shapi

02/21/2023

Congratulations to the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS), which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary in Vail, CO. The NBS is a coalition of 50 African-American ski clubs nationwide. The Summit, held at a different resort every year, brings the clubs together to ski, board and party with a purpose.

This year’s “Soul on the Snow” Summit featured a week of on-snow events, competitions, education sessions, happy hours, films, and entertainment. Together Outdoors and the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals were honored to host a Listening Session with NBS and outdoor industry leaders and local land managers on the importance of supporting welcoming and inclusive outdoor spaces.

Listening Session speakers included past NBS presidents Bessie Gay and Rose Thomas Pickrum, Corbeau Ski Club President Rodney Swope, Director of Marketing for Seirus Innovation Danica Carey, U.S. Forest Service Mountain Resort Program Manager Amanda Wheelock, and Together Outdoors Coalition Lead Gerry James.

That group shared how their passion for snowsports has impacted their lives and amplified the importance of community created through affinity groups like the NBS.

Read more here: www.togetheroutdoors.com/news/nb50thlisteningsession

02/17/2023

For too long, Black Americans were marginalized in our depictions and image of outdoor recreation. But in reality, Black people have a long and rich history with every type of exploration, adventure and relaxation, including RVing.

Take, for example, Benjamin and Frances Graham, a Black couple from Baltimore who bought a used 17’ Stardust travel trailer in the summer of 1965 with one idea in mind: to visit that year’s World’s Fair with their three young children. Thirty-five years, 94,000 miles, and three RVs later, Benjamin and Frances finally unhitched for the last time.

Fastforward to 1995 and NAARVA (National African American RVer's Association, Inc.) was created.

Read more about the Black RV experience here: www.togetheroutdoors.com/news/blackrvexperience

02/14/2023

“The first thing to know about outdoor adventure is that you belong.” 🌱

As Sonya and Necota Staples’ passion for outdoor adventure ignited and they spent more time in outdoor communities, they noticed that they rarely encountered people of color. The couple then made it their mission to increase diversity in the outdoors by educating and inspiring people of color ​​to become more comfortable, confident and curious about adventuring.

Read more about Sonya and Necota’s inspiring story here:

Finding and Sharing Love in the Outdoors

02/13/2023

Americans love mountain getaways. Ski meccas like Stowe, VT and Breckenridge, CO and artsy hideaways like Asheville, NC have been popular destinations for more than a century.

Unfortunately, these places have not always been welcoming to members of underrepresented groups. To change that reality, mountain towns need to acknowledge their history and take proactive steps towards accessibility and inclusion, according to Together Outdoors Coalition Lead Gerry Seavo James, who offered his insights in collaboration with Snowsports Industries Association at the recent Outdoor Retailer Snow Show in Salt Lake City.

The root of the exclusion problem, Gerry told attendees, lies in the history of settler colonialism, racism and ableism that defined many small mountain communities. Segregation, a lack of diversity in local government and ableist infrastructure were among the obstacles to inclusiveness created by that history. Communities that want to become more welcoming must acknowledge both the impediments and the history behind those issues. Only then can the town move forward with intentionality

Among Gerry’s recommendations for boosting inclusion and accessibility:

Americans love mountain getaways. Ski meccas like Stowe, VT and Breckenridge, CO and artsy hideaways like Asheville, NC have been popular destinations for more than a century. Unfortunately, these places have not always been welcoming to members of underrepresented groups. To change that realit

01/20/2023

Together Outdoors Coalition, Lead Gerry Seavo James recently collaborated with Hilary Wickes of America Outdoors Association to host a panel discussion on how to cultivate more inclusive spaces in the outdoor guiding industry. We’re so grateful for our panelists Lesford H. Duncan, MPH, (Greening Youth Foundation), NaQuaina Moore (UT Office of Multicultural Student Life), Lydia Parker (Hunters of Color), and Alex Bailey, Black Outside, Inc for bringing heart, knowledge and solutions! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/0oi_wxXGfWs

11/04/2022

Huge thanks to the Albuquerque Journal for highlighting one of our 2022 grantees, FlyFish NM! This New Mexico-based nonprofit provides Fly Fishing opportunities for youth who would otherwise not be able to participate in these experiences due to economic inability, or limited access to the outdoors. Funding from our grant program will support the purchase of fly rod kits for an additional 40-50 future participants and other program costs.

Together Outdoors recently awarded a grant to Fly Fish NM that will help the nonprofit purchase as many as 40 to 50 fly rod kits.

11/03/2022

Check out our first ever interview on NPR with Coalition Lead,
Gerry Seavo James sharing our work to cultivate a inclusive outdoors via coalition building, education, & action on the Eastern Standard via 88.9 WEKU.

Listen here 👉🏿 https://esweku.org/track/3229905/november-3-2022_gerryseavojames_togetheroutdoors

10/26/2022

Earlier this month, Bewilder, one of our coalition advisory council members, hosted a pop-up campground at a shopping center in Los Angeles, California. They partnered with Decathlon USA, Sea to Summit, MiiR , and The Culver Steps to introduce people to the joys of camping, and 47 families bought tickets to spend a Saturday afternoon exploring Camp Bewilder. The event was a blend of art, entertainment, and outdoor gear, which is exactly what CEO and founder Yvonne Leow envisioned. “As someone who didn’t grow up outdoorsy, I know there are millions of people like me who are more comfortable roaming through city streets than redwood forests. We want to introduce outdoorsy values — like that sense of adventure, exploration, and community — to urban environments, with the mission that we’ll inspire more people to fall in love with nature.”

Follow Bewilder’s journey subscribe to their newsletter at www.bewilder.camp to learn about their next campout.

10/25/2022

Another awesome event we had the chance to pop into this month was the . The event was started by (Sonya and Necota Staples), a black couple who left their careers to pursue overlanding full-time a few years ago. Along the way they decided to work on improving the diversity of the off-roading/over landing community through creating and events rooted in inclusion/welcoming. The Gathering was specifically designed create safe space for everyone to explore the outdoors and provide education about camping and overlanding. At the event we met people from all across the country who drove hundreds of miles to North Carolina to take part. Major ups to Sonya and Necota for all their hard work!