This is a podcast by Justice Outside sharing stories from our community, centering the experiences and wisdom of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in the outdoors and environmental movement. Hosted by our Communications and Advocacy team, the podcast will also share tips and tricks about enjoying the outdoors, whether that’s through exploring your backyard, hiking, skiing, or in any other way.
Help us spread the word about the Joy Outside podcast by uplifting it on social media. We’ve put together a social media toolkit here, complete with template social media posts and graphics that will help you with posting. Thank you so much!
Subscribe to our email list to receive the latest Justice Outside updates here. Learn more about our impact advancing racial equity and justice in the outdoors and environmental movement here.
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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.
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!
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
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.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
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 in different roles as a community member, professional, and parent.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
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.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
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.
The full episode transcript can be found here.
To learn more about YES Nature to Neighborhoods, click here. This is the article “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.
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!
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.
You can find the episode transcript here.
The book Amelia referred to is Spirits of the Earth by Bobby Lake-Thom.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Episode 4: Go Out There and Adventure
We speak with Laura 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.
The full episode transcript can be found here.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan
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.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan
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.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan
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. The full episode transcript can be found here. To learn more about community-centric fundraising, click here.
The line of poetry Noorjahan mentions in the podcast comes from the great Sufi poet Maulana Jalaludin Balkhi’s Masnawi Manawi written in Persian in the 13th century. The verse Noorjahan mentions is linked here. It’s the fourth verse. Though the English translation of the poem uses the pronoun “he” to refer to the subject, in Persian a gender neutral pronoun is used. In the United States, Maulana Jalaludin Balkhi is known as Rumi.
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.
Theme music by Joseph Powers
Design assets prepared by LQL Photo + Design
Audio editing by Cha’vez Gaitan