Northern Michigan University will host its first BIPOC Outdoors Summit & Rest Retreat Aug. 4-8. While the events are centered on promoting joyful and inclusive nature-based experiences for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) through outdoor activities, skills workshops, keynote speakers and conversations, all are welcome to participate.
Shawnrece Butler, assistant vice president for Opportunity, Empowerment and People, said one of her goals is to inspire more NMU students to immerse themselves in the area's pristine natural environment to maximize the wellness benefits and nurture a commitment to conservation. She discussed this with alumna Alice Jasper, host of a media program titled “Color Out Here,” which explores opportunities and barriers to inclusion faced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) in outdoor recreation and environmental stewardship. The two came up with the idea of hosting a related event this summer, and Jasper will serve as one of the keynote speakers.
“There are three main barriers that make the outdoors less inclusive than it could be,” Butler said. “Financial resources is one, because a lot of activities, adventures and related gear are not cheap. The second is awareness and knowledge. There are multiple groups that help people learn about the outdoors and enjoy things they've never done before in community with others, but people don't always know they exist or actively seek them out. Finally, nature has not always been a welcoming space, particularly from the historical perspective of people of color being chased through the woods or hung from trees, so the outdoors could have a legacy of fearfulness around it that has to be demystified for some groups.”
In addition to Jasper, other keynote speakers are:
• James Edward Mills, a freelance journalist and independent media producer who specializes in sharing stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving and practices of sustainable living. He was a 2014 Fellow of the Mountain & Wilderness Writing Program of the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, and the 2016 recipient of the Paul K. Petzoldt Award for Environmental Education.
• Kyle Mays, an Afro-Indigenous (Saginaw Chippewa) writer and University of California, Los Angeles professor and scholar of Afro-Indigenous history, urban studies and contemporary popular culture.
• Garrett Dempsey, the lead Sierra Club staff with Detroit Outdoors. His experiences growing up in San Francisco and organizing with communities in Oakland, Calif., have shaped his passion for connecting urban youth with the outdoors and nature.
• Tiawanna Ezell from Grand Rapids, whose involvement in outdoor spaces began four years ago by leading kayaking adventures on the Grand River for people of color. She is also a volunteer leader with the national organization Outdoor Afro, guiding community members on monthly outdoor adventures and experiences.
• Asha Shoffner, an outdoor educator and founding organizer of BIPOC Outdoors Twin Cities, who facilitates safe and empowering outdoor programs by listening to community, leveraging resources and centering the wisdom, experience and joy of those who are most marginalized.
• Vanessa Yvette, an Afro-Cubana Earth ceremonialist and founder of Forest Bath Miami, a nature-based wellness organization rooted in ancestral healing, eco-therapy and outdoor reclamation.
• Lorena Aguayo-Márquez, the community impact manager at WGVU Public Media. Her work centers on Color Out Here, Mutually Inclusive, and Living West Michigan, segments that strengthen belonging through engaging storytelling. Outside of WGVU, she leads Latino Outdoors GR, creating inclusive outdoor experiences that celebrate culture and community.
• Grant Gliniecki, founder and president of Giitigan, an Anishinaabe community garden in Nkwejong // Lansing. He cultivates Anishinaabe food, language, nature engagement, and science in an urban setting, and also serves as the outdoor policy coordinator for the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators.
The summit, based on campus, is scheduled Aug. 4-5 and costs $165. The retreat follows Aug. 6-8 at Raging River Campground and costs $300. For the full itinerary, more information or to register, visit nmu.edu/bipoc-outdoors. Sponsors include the Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry, NMU and the King-Chavez-Parks Visiting Professor Program.