Outdoor Afro is so thrilled to be featured in the latest issue of the High Country News Green Justice edition!
Writer Stephanie Ogburn captured the fun spirit of a recent birdwatching event, situated in a stretch of shoreline that borders an industrial zone and a large community of color in Oakland, California. The event was a collaborative effort between Outdoor Afro and Golden Gate Audubon of the San Francisco Bay Area. Most participants were first-time birders, and left the trip inspired to learn more about the birds and other wildlife found right …

June 19-20, 2010
New York City
Outdoor Afro had the wonderful experience this past weekend to be a part of Outdoor Nation, a youth summit designed to reconnect America’s youth to the great outdoors and inform organizations of what youth care about most. This was also the first official listening session as a part of Obama’s Great Outdoors Conference this past spring.

The event began with a mixer Friday night sponsored by Backpacker Magazine. Leadership from The North Face, VF Outdoors (TNF parent company), The Natural Leaders Network (Children and Nature Network), New …

What a great way to begin the day. I woke up to some buzz in my inbox this morning about the new REI commercial featuring an unmistakably brown family — WOW!
Check it out:

Does this commercial inspire you to get outdoors? Tell me what you think!
Great job REI!

Photo by Pete Souza

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama took a hike yesterday as part of their romantic getaway in the Ashville, North Carolina, Blue Ridge Parkway area that included dining and golf.  Read about one woman’s chance encounter. They are setting a terrific example of outdoor engagement in America’s natural spaces for everyone.
Thanks Outdoor Afro Dustin Weeks for sharing!

Outdoor Afro took a short trip over to East Oakland, California to participate in the community event: Love Yo’ Mama, hosted by the organization Communities for a Better Environment for Earth Day.

“Green is Good for the Hood” was this year’s theme, which was intended to create local awareness and a response to environmental concerns at a neighborhood level.
The event started with a rally to highlight environmental and health issues in Oakland at Tassafaronga Recreation Center, followed by a parade with Scraper Bikers, drummers, and youth dancing. In the afternoon, there …

I just got back from Washington DC on Monday after participating on behalf of the Outdoor Afro community in the first ever America’s Great Outdoors conference. This event was designed to bring leaders from around the country to discuss ways to re-connect Americans to the Great Outdoors and hosted the historic signing of the Presidential Memorandum on the topic.
Last Thursday night was the  pre-conference mixer at the Department of Agriculture, where we heard from the Department of the Interior (Ken Salazar), Department of Agriculture (Tom Vilsack), Council on Environmental Quality (Nancy Sutley), …

As many of you have noticed from my Facebook and Twitter posts, today has been filled with a whirlwind of activity!
I know I should be asleep now, but I just had to share some of what made today buzz. It starting with time spent with Hazel Wong who graciously opened her home to me so I could catch up on some missed rest after a red-eye. After a brief nap, Dudley Edmondson and I met up to grab a bite at the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. The two of us …

By Suz Lipman,
Social Media Director for the Children & Nature Network

The Obama Administration is recognizing the importance of the outdoors to people’s health and well-being, with two important new programs: The White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign to eradicate childhood obesity.
The White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors will be held Friday, April 16. C&NN President Cheryl Charles, C&NN Associate Rue Mapp (Outdoor Afro) and other movement leadership will be in attendance. President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks to the …

By Marty Wiggins
Did you know it’s National Environmental Education Week? Since 2004, the National Environmental Education Foundation has coordinated the week before Earth Day as a time to foster greater awareness of environmental education and to encourage children and adults to enjoy the outdoors.
What is so great about environmental education? The obvious benefit is that it gets kids and adults outside. But research also shows that environmental education and outdoor and community-based learning improves student achievement across the curriculum and can have a positive effect on classroom and social behavior. …

The reach and audience of Outdoor Afro is greater than ever before, and comprised of a diverse, smart mix of folks who hail from all over the globe. These last few weeks have represented some compelling milestones for the Outdoor Afro community:

1 Year Old
100 Blog Posts
1000 Facebook Fans
…and did I mention a trip to the White House? (more about this later)

But this site would not have grown without the influence and support of some very amazing and inspiring individuals. The first conversation I had that started the OA journey in earnest was with Dr. …