By Tracey Friley
Outdoor Afro Contributor and Founder of One Brown Girl Adventures

I made the switch some time ago without even realizing it. I guess I should have figured it out sooner, but it wasn’t until I went to Santa Barbara recently that I suddenly realized that I’m a glamper…and I like it. Let me explain.
Like most outdoorsy folks, I grew up going camping with family and friends. My dad rode a motorcycle with a bunch of his friends and one of the motorcycle families (John & Shirley) used to bring …

You forgot to pack the can opener, and all you brought to eat is canned food. Now you have to figure out how to crack it open without ruining the food or hurting yourself.
And then you also have to deal with everyone else pestering you about how you forgot to pack such a small and crucial item for the trip!
So here is a checklist to make sure you don’t forget any vital items on your adventure!
What else would you add to the list?
Courtesy of Eastern Mountain Sports

Backpacking Gear for Two Nights
Since so many folks are taking off for camp this Memorial Day weekend to kick off the summer, I thought I’d repost this guide from last year to refresh your memory and get new campers on the right track!
What you bring to the wilderness really depends on where you go, for how long, and the number and age range of the individuals camping. The following is not a definitive list, but are some general guidelines to get you on your way:
 
ENTERTAINMENT

Games (dominoes, cards)

A lightweight novel or …

Women of Color Backpacking Trip – 30% off for all Outdoor Afros who sign up!

Last October, Oprah Winfrey visited Yosemite National Park and asked the question: why don’t more people of color experience the outdoors and their national parks? They have wondered the same at Balanced Rock. And when this disparity was pointed out to them in 2004, they led the country’s first Women of Color (WOC) backpacking trek in Yosemite—the trip was even highlighted in Backpacker Magazine.

The Women of Color backpack retreat in Yosemite has become one …

By Outdoor Afro contributor Kevin Gordon
Now that the grass is greening, the birds are returning, and the smells of spring are in the air, it gets more and more exciting to prepare for camp. It’s really magic contemplating what will happen this summer. What child will experience the first-time joy of doing something she didn’t think she otherwise could do…from the “I can’t” to the “I did!”. And carrying that over to her life—whether it’s 5 days, 5 months, or 5 years forward, when another “impossible” task arises, and she has …

I think a lot about the journey that led me to form a deep connection with the outdoors, and now see clearly how fortunate I was that my family had a strong connection to land and nature, and how my parents trusted institutions like the Girl Scouts, and our local recreation center to help me connect deeply with my environment. Had I not received this kind of support and encouragement from home throughout my childhood, my interactions with nature might have been less relevant to my daily life, …

Originally posted on Oakland Local
Welcome Outdoor Afro guest blogger CB Smith, who shares her personal connection to natural spaces, and why it’s important to support Balanced Rock, who provides the unique chance for women of color to connect with the outdoors on their own terms.
In this blog post, I am encouraging you to support a retreat for Women of Color…even if you are not a Woman of Color yourself. First, I need to tell you a little bit about what this kind of experience can mean and why it’s important.
CB Hiking in …

Our newest Outdoor Afro contributor, Justice Fergie, recalls fondly her years at camp, and what it means for her own children today.

My Girl Guide troop at sleepaway camp.
That’s me in the bottom left-hand corner.

Don’t laugh!
Ok, go ahead.

Remember sleep-away camp? Some of my best childhood memories are from spending summers making friends, singing campfire songs, and making friendship bracelets at sleep-away camp.  My Girl Guide troop (the Canadian version of Girl Scouts), was very active and one summer we had the opportunity to camp at a site owned by a Hungarian couple out in the …

This week, I had the honor of presenting at the American Camp Association (ACA) the topic: Recognizing and Cultivating Diversity in Family Camp in beautiful San Diego, California at their annual conference.
ACA is a community of camp professionals who, for nearly 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. ACA and Outdoor Afro have recently formed an educational partnership to help camps connect to the diverse Outdoor Afro community; and also help Outdoor Afro community members become more aware of …

Discover California’s Past
Splash in the water
Play in a safe place
Camp under the stars

Explore nature

Learn to swim

Play on a team

Follow a trail

Catch a fish
Celebrate their heritage
According to the California Roundtable on Recreation and Tourism, “Numerous studies document that children who do these things are healthier, do better in school, have better social skills and self-image, and lead more fulfilled lives.”
In 2011, please join Outdoor Afro in helping all children, no matter what state they live in and their adult caregivers, exercise these rights through activities such as camping, hiking, biking, birding, …