With Outdoor Afro, you can bring your complete self. You don’t have to leave any part of yourself at the door.
Last weekend, I was wiping tears away as Rue Mapp, founder and creator of Outdoor Afro, brought our training to a close. I was chosen to part of an inspiring, diverse and supportive group with at least one shared interest – the outdoors – and I felt completely welcomed. However, as Rue finished her conclusion, I had to pull myself together! It was time to show off for the pinning ceremony and soul train line.
I had an amazing time connecting, discovering and growing with 65 men and women from across the country for about three days in Yosemite National Park. I was training to be a leader here in Boston, but the conference was even deeper than practicing skills.
First, my roommate is named Viva. How cool is that? She started Outdoor Afro in Chicago a few years ago, and was so patient and thorough with all of my questions. Later, I was blown away as I talked with environmental scientists, lawyers, educators, IT specialists, parents, PhD students, yoga instructors, and entrepreneurs who looked like me! Or as the policy director Autumn said, talking to a room full of black nerds.
It was like a rush to be surrounded by so many people who pursue their passions and uplift others along the way.Ā To experience such welcome and support during the training was just overwhelming.
I’ll be writing more about events and Outdoor Afro monthly. For now, I’ll end with one of my favorite moments from the weekend (of course it’s hard to choose) and check out my photos on Facebook.
Saturday afternoon. It was damp, raining off and on with a chilly breeze moving in, yet the 25 Afros and I were all smiles as we walked down a winding path into Tuolumne (too-all-uh-me) Grove to see a few giant sequoia trees. After about a quarter of a mile, I was quietly trying to take in a 150-foot moss covered tree, looking ahead through the mist and breathing in the pine.
Chris (Durham, NC) walked up next to me and said, “I feel like I’m in Harry Potter leaving Hogwarts.” I already knew I was right where I needed to be, and that was just the honey in the hive.