Season 2 | Episode 9:
When you trust your path with Alex Roth-Dunn
Joy Outside is excited to welcome Alex Roth from Black Trans Masc Collective (@blacktransmasccollective) to the podcast. 🌿✨
Alex is a youth educator, community organizer, and land steward whose work is rooted in the power of connection and unapologetic advocacy.
In this episode, we explore what it means to reconnect with land and ancestry, create meaningful pathways to the outdoors, and build communities where people can show up fully as themselves. We can’t wait for you to hear it!
Alex is a youth educator, community organizer and land steward that was born and raised on unceded Shawnee and Cherokee land also known as Louisville, Kentucky. Being the direct descendants of enslaved people, Alex grew up hearing stories shared by his Gana about his Great Granddaddy’s connection to the land, both forcibly and voluntarily. Now as a Youth Development Program Manager on Muwekma Land/Berkeley and the Founder of Black Trans Masc Collective on Huichin Land/ Oakland, Alex is cultivating ways to break down barriers for marginalized people in every facet of his life to bring collective joy and meaningful connection to all who cross his path.
Episode Details
Host: Rachida Mahamed & Jacqueline Delgadillo
Guest: Alex Roth-Dunn
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 8:
Leave Anyway — Redefining Who Belongs on Public Lands With Sally Steele
We are excited to welcome Sally Steele from Outdoorithm to Joy Outside.
Sally is what happens when acquired knowledge meets brilliance, compassion, and deep intention. Her vocation extends beyond education and into the sacred work of community-to-nature-to-person connection. Working at the intersection of nature and spirituality, Sally centers regenerative healing practices that honor both the Earth and the body.
In this episode, we unpack the often unseen forces that shape our relationship with the outdoors, who feels invited in, who feels excluded, and why. From the loss of intergenerational connections to land, to the rise of commercialization in outdoor recreation, to camping systems that increasingly privilege those with time, resources, and digital access, this conversation challenges dominant ideas of accessibility and belonging.
Sally Steele is a tech founder, nonprofit leader, and ordained minister working at the intersection of community, nature, and spirituality. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Outdoorithm, a tech platform that democratizes access to public lands, and its sister nonprofit, Outdoorithm Collective, which helps families flourish in nature through community and immersive experiences. Sally is an REI Path Ahead Ventures Embark Program alum and a Louisville Institute grantee exploring the connection between nature and spirituality. Previously, she served as Co-Executive Director of City Hope in San Francisco. Sally lives in Oakland with her husband and four daughters.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Rachida Mahamed & Cameron Navarro
Guest: Sally Steele
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 7:
Immigration Justice is Environmental Justice Ft. Nanci Torres & Mayra Pelagio
We’re excited to welcome Mayra Pelagio & Nanci Torres to the podcast
Mayra Pelagio is the founder of Ignite Community Connections, where she works as a consultant, coach, and yoga instructor dedicated to strengthening connections to self, community, and nature. Through organizational consulting, leadership coaching, and embodied practices, she supports individuals and teams in living and leading with greater alignment, connection, and purpose. Her work centers on purposeful living, collective well-being, and equitable collaboration, helping people reconnect to what matters most and move forward with intention.
Nanci Torres is a rising sustainability professional who loves to spend time outdoors. Before entering the sustainability field, Nanci worked in the non-profit sector, conducting environmental education, and spent two years working as an environmental science educator in Yosemite National Park. During her time, she had the opportunity to work on the Zero Landfill Initiative project, exposing her to the idea of sustainability. Nanci joined TreePeople, a non-profit organization based in Los Angeles County, as the Waste Management Youth Leadership coordinator. In this role, she supported middle and high schools across the county in adopting waste management systems, integrating community gardens, and raising awareness of sustainability issues.
Together, they remind us that building a more sustainable and equitable world begins with how we connect to each other, and the environment.
Tune in to hear their stories, insights, and what it really takes to move with purpose.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Jacqueline Delgadillo
Guest: Mayra Pelagio & Nanci Torres
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 6:
This Muslim Girl Goes Outside Ft. Noor Qwfan
Through many art forms and over ten years of podcasting experience, Noor has used her platform to spotlight joy and representation of the Muslim, immigrant, and Yemeni communities.
Having developed a deep love and personal connection to the outdoors, Noor joins Joy Outside to talk through the immigrant experience and a somewhat unconventional journey to experiencing joy in the natural world. Noor also helps us answer the major questions of what it means to belong to the outdoors and how she uses faith to guide her experiences outside.
Born in Yemen and raised in the Central Valley of California, Noor Qwfan works in corporate social responsibility and is the creator of Noor’s Nook (@noors_nook), an expressive outlet for her creative tendencies. She is also the creator and host of the Muslim Girl Podcast (@thismuslimgirlpodcast), a platform started in 2017 to amplify the voices of Muslim women and their experiences. In addition to her professional endeavors, Noor sits on the board of directors for the American Red Cross and currently serves as the chair of the philanthropy committee. In her spare time, Noor loves to travel and explore, hike in the great outdoors, and spend quality time with loved ones.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Rachida Mahamed
Guest: Noor Qwfan
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 5:
Sanjana Sekhar got us HEATED
Tap into this weeks episode featuring climate activist and narrative strategist Sanjana Sekhar. From her expansive work delivering political commentary on her Substack, GARMI, to her creative endeavors in justice-led storytelling, Sanjana is the up-and-coming visionary of our time.
Living by the mantra, “The planet is getting hotter, but so are we,” Sanjana is reimagining political activism through the lens of strength-based activism. “For every degree hotter that the world gets… we can remember that we are also getting smarter, more connected, and working really hard to heal the things that are hard in this world.”
Sanjana Sekhar is a South Indian-American author, narrative strategist, political educator, and filmmaker. With an eye to strategic communication and systems-thinking storytelling, her work crafts “thrutopian” stories aimed at making climate action the hottest place to be. Lensed with climate justice, pleasure politics, and futurism, Sanjana’s focus is on reclaiming and healing extractive narratives to instead build a healthy human future on Earth. She’s been featured in the Hollywood Climate Summit, Tedx Climate AcrosstheAmericas, and the Webby Honorees, and she’s worked with organizations such as the Center for Cultural Power, Visit California, and The Washington Post.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Jacqueline Delgadillo
Guest: Sanjana Sekhar
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 4:
Environmental Justice, Public Lands & The Flint Water Crises with Jeremy Orr
Tune into another episode of Joy Outside with Justice Outside’s Communications and Advocacy Coordinator Rachida Mahamed, and Director of Movement Building & Advocacy, Sierra Mathias!
Jeremy Orr serves as the director of litigation and advocacy partnerships at Earthjustice. In this role, he helps Earthjustice’s offices, programs, and departments build strategies to deeply engage and genuinely partner with communities and other stakeholders. Prior to joining Earthjustice, Jeremy served as a senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council where he focused on drinking water and source water protection issues, working to ensure that all people have access to safe, sufficient, and affordable drinking water.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Rachida Mahamed & Sierra Mathias
Guest: Jeremy Orr
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 3: Reclaiming Community With Evelynn Escobar
Evelynn Escobar is a visionary storyteller and Founder of Hike Clerb, a decolonial outdoor collective reconnecting thousands of Black, Indigenous, and racialized people to nature as a site of healing and liberation. Under her leadership, Hike Clerb has grown into a leading model of community care, partnering with The North Face, Nike, and Salomon, and building a community of over 50K. Named a Well + Good Changemaker and Visionary Latina by We All Grow Latina, Evelynn’s work bridges joy, justice, and belonging, inspiring new generations to reclaim space and seed futures rooted in reciprocity and liberation.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Jacqueline Delgadillo
Guest: Evelynn Escobar
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 2: The Unoriginal Eeland Stribling
Eeland Stribling is just another ordinary guy. Nothing remarkable really. He’s named after an antelope, based in Colorado, and has a dog named Wilfred. When he’s not busy being painfully unoriginal, he’s out there shaping young minds as a wildlife biologist, globe-trotting on fly-fishing adventures, racking up film awards for his high-feature short, and casually selling out comedy clubs as one of the hottest acts around. So yeah… totally mediocre. Nothing to see here.
External Links
Episode Details
Host: Rachida Mahamed
Guest: Eeland Stribling
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 2 | Episode 1: Here’s why everyone should care about the EXPLORE Act
Based outside of Denver, CO, Tykee James is an inspiring leader in the birding community, dedicated to promoting equitable access to nature’s benefits as the Sr. Environmental Justice Campaign Manager at Conservation Colorado. With over a decade of experience, Tykee’s journey began as an environmental educator in his Philadelphia neighborhood, where he ignited his passion for birds. He leverages his love for birds to build trust, create coalitions, and make a lasting impact.
External Links
Tykee’s Podcast: One Word for Wildlife
The Explore Act: One Pager
Episode Details
Host: Bren Spector
Guest: Tykee James
Editor: Rachida Mahamed
Season 1 | Episode 10: Supporting Black, Indigenous, and Leadership of Color in Environmental Nonprofits
We speak with LaTresse Snead, founder and CEO of Bonsai Leadership Group. She shares her insight into how environmental nonprofits can support and retain Black, Indigenous, and Leadership of Color, and speaks to her work empowering young Black, Indigenous, and environmental practitioners of color in the sector.
External Links
LaTresse mentioned Dr. Tiara Moore of Black in Marine Science and Imani Black of Minorities in Aquaculture
Check out LaTresse’s book, When Black Women Rise, here!
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Season 1 | Episode 9: Working towards Racial Justice and Equity in the Outdoors and Environmental Sector
Jess Rivas, our Rising Leaders Manager, shares her journey from the streets of LA’s 818 to advocating for racial equity in the outdoors. Jess discusses her evolving relationship with nature and insights on creating justice in environmental sectors.
External Links
Jess references important work on White Supremacy Culture: Tema Okun’s article and website can be found here, and the Dismantling Racism Works Web Workbook inspired by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun is available here. Discover how we can make the outdoors truly accessible for all.
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn about our Rising Leaders Fellowship, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Season 1 | Episode 8: Building Community Access to the Outdoors
Our Director of Grantmaking, Efraín Chávez-Delgado, discusses building community in and expanding community access to the outdoors as a community member, professional, and parent.
External Links
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn about our Liberated Paths Grantmaking, click here.
The book Efraín referred to is Fresh Banana Leaves by Dr. Jessica Hernandez.
At the time of the recording, Efraín was a Grantmaking and Program Manager. Since then, he has become the Director of Grantmaking.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Season 1 | Episode 7: Being Trauma-Informed in the Outdoors
Rising Leaders Fellow alum Shirley Calderon interviews Dr. Darlene Hall, founder of Intersections Consulting. Dr. Hall discusses her book “Youth Development Theory and Practice: Integrating a Trauma Framework: A Social Justice Approach”, underscoring the importance of all workers that work with youth in the outdoors being trauma-informed to create truly safe spaces.
External Links
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn about Intersections Consulting, click here.
To buy “Youth Development Theory and Practice: Integrating a Trauma Framework: A Social Justice Approach”, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Season 1 | Episode 6: The Power of Indigenous, Black, and Network Leaders of Color
Mo Henigman, Justice Outside’s Movement Network Coordinator* speaks with Blanca Hernandez, a Network for Network Leader. Blanca discusses the importance of networks and network leaders in her life and for Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color working to expand equitable access to the outdoors. She also shares impactful memories in the outdoors that have shaped her understanding of equity in the environmental sector.
External Links
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn more about YES Nature to Neighborhoods, click here. This is the article mentioned “Creating Networks for Survival and Mobility: Social Capital Among African-American and Latin-American Low-Income Mothers” by Silvia Dominguez and Celeste Watkins-Hayes. This is the Social Change Map by Deepa Iyer. The apps Blanca recommends are AllTrails and iNaturalist.
To learn about the Network for Network Leadership program, click here.
To learn more about Justice Outside’s work and our programs to increase access to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
*Since the episode was recorded, Mo Heningman no longer works at Justice Outside and we have their permission to release this episode. Thank you Mo!
Season 1 | Episode 5: Belonging and Safety in the Backcountry for Black, Indigenous, and Explorers of Color
We speak with Amelia Vigil, Liberated Paths: Youth Access to Nature Grant and Program Manager, about their long relationship with the backcountry and outdoors industry, prompting them to want to create safe, accessible, and inclusive spaces for Black, Indigenous, and Youth of Color. They explain the changes they have witnessed and changes they hope to see in the industry.
External Links
To learn about the Liberated Paths: Youth Access to Nature Fund, click here.
To learn more about Justice Outside’s work and our programs to increase access to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Season 1 | Episode 4: Go Out There and Adventure
We speak with Lau Hernandez, Outdoor Educators Institute Program Coordinator, about their evolving connection with the outdoors through plant medicine and outdoor education. They discuss the importance of inclusive and safe spaces for young Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to build and explore connections with the outdoors.
External Links
To learn about the Outdoor Educators Institute, click here.
To learn more about Justice Outside’s work and our programs to increase access to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan
Season 1 | Episode 3: It’s Our Time to be Trailblazers
We speak with Kim Moore Bailey, Justice Outside President and Chief Executive Officer, about her love of the outdoors since childhood. She shares key moments, conversations, and ideas that have guided her to shape Justice Outside into what it is today, as well as tips for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color people working in the field. She reminds us that trails have been blazed before, and there are many of us to continue the work.
External Links
The full episode transcript can be found here.
The book Kim mentioned is Becoming.
The report Kim referred to is “Examining Disparities in Environmental Grantmaking: Where the Money Goes” by Dr. Dorceta E. Taylor and Molly Blondell.
To learn more about Justice Outside’s work and our programs to increase access to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan
Season 1 | Episode 2: Elevating, Amplifying, and Funding Leadership of Color
We speak with Rena Payan, Director of Grantmaking, about the radical and restorative grantmaking program she has helped create at Justice Outside. She discusses the historical barriers for Black, Indigenous, and organizations of Color in traditional grantmaking and how an accessible, equitable alternative is possible. She also shares about her personal connection to the outdoors and how she’s nurtured it throughout her life.
External Links
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn more about our Liberated Paths grantmaking, click here.
The phrase Rena referred to, “Nothing about us without us”, stems from the disability justice movement. Learn more here.
To learn more about Justice Outside’s work and our programs to increase access to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan
Season 1 | Episode 1: The Power of Community to Transform the Outdoors Movement
For our first episode, we speak with Danielle Wolfrum, our Director of Development. She shares how her relationship to the outdoors has evolved and her experience working in environmental non-profits as a Woman of Color. She highlights the importance of community-oriented relationship building and fundraising.
External Links
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn more about community-centric fundraising, click here.
The book Danielle mentioned is Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness.
To learn more about Justice Outside’s work including our grantmaking and our programs to increase access to the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, click here.
Episode Details
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan