Created by Lauren Kelley, the animated short Upside was completed while she participated in the Studio Museum in Harlem’s Artist-in-Residence Program (2009-2010).  From her website, “In Upside , bitter sweet pathos is elegantly explored. Told from the vantage point of a child, the main character assesses her family’s lot when frolicking at a pool party that goes awry.” Narrated by Samaya Imani Watson.
Parental Discretion Advised

What intrigued me most about this short clip is its vivid look at an historic social and communal engagement with the outdoors typical of African-American families of all classes.
It …

Originally posted Thanksgiving, November 25th, 2009…Enjoy!

flickr.com/prettywarstl: a nice plate!
Thanksgiving in my family is more than the delicious turkey, pies, and cobblers my sister Delane makes; it is also a celebration of food that preserves the memories and experiences of those who have passed on, symbolized through the remaking of family recipes…Cherrie’s dressing, Ella mae’s Pea Salad…the matriarchs of my family pulled greens from their garden for dinner, they plucked the feathers of fresh foul, and cleaned the fish they caught in local lakes for Friday fish fries.
Our family also has …

Contributed by Jennifer Chambers, founder of Hiking Along Science & Hiking for Kids
Last Sunday was one of those perfect fall afternoons in DC:  Bright blue skies, crisp autumn air and amazing colors of yellow, orange and red shimmered in the sunlight. Who wouldn’t want to be outside? Ten families from Jack and Jill, an African American family organization said “sign me up!” and participated on a hike with  Hiking Along in Scott’s Run Nature Preserve along the Potomac River.

Twenty-three energetic kids and their parents hiked two miles underneath old growth trees to learn …

“Concerns about dirt, crawly critters, outhouses, bears, and bugs top the list of real and imagined outdoor pet peeves.”
If you have been following Outdoor Afro for a while, I am sure you have gathered by now that we are striving to connect people to the outdoors in a variety of ways. But far too often, I hear people say they don’t like to camp, or fear trying because of perceptions about what must be given up in order to experience nature. Concerns about dirt, crawly critters, outhouses, bears, and bugs top …

Contributed by Outdoor Afro Gloria Knox of Los Angeles, CA
This summer my family took the opportunity to reconnect with nature.  In planning the obligatory summer vacation, my husband and I realized we were short on time and funds. We decided that a trip to an in-state National Park would maximize our summer vacation experience and be cost effective. We visited both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in California, and it was one of the best experiences we could have had.

 
Our initial plan was to rent a recreational vehicle to take to the …

It was important that our RV adventure last week include activities to help us explore the surrounding, beautiful Sierra Nevada region. And with the American River in sight of our campground, whitewater rafting made perfect sense.
According to a poll taken in 2010, of the top five activities Outdoor Afros would try if they had the support and resources is white water rafting. For our RV adventure, we were fortunate to arrange a rafting trip on the American River in the Sierra Nevada region of California courtesy of American Whitewater Expeditions.
Within …

THIS Weekend! – and you get to come too!

On Aug. 12th to 14th I will take Outdoor Afro to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada with my nephew and three children for a three-day camping trip at Ponderosa Resort in Lotus, California!
Camp-California.com and Ponderosa Resort are co-sponsoring my trip along with Auburn-based American River Sales and Rentals, which is supplying a teardrop trailer for our use. They are equally eager to learn of our experiences, and how they can expand their collective efforts to reach out to the African American …

Last spring, I helped to organize a local event as part of a national campaign to get people connected to nature. As much as I wanted to share how wonderful the event was, how well attended and rich the experience, until now I was unable to do so because there was a part of the experience that day that pained me, and has since sat like a lump in the back of my throat.

All the time I hear reasons why African-Americans do not engage with the outdoors. From experience, I …

No matter how people feel about the outdoors, almost everyone feels inspired to get outside for the Fourth of July to enjoy the company of family, friends, and a grilled meal leading inevitably to an evening polytechnics display.
While spending time under the sun and stars this holiday, I encourage you to also take the time to recognize the displays of nature around you: the song of a bird, summer foliage, stars in the night sky, wind rustling through trees, the texture of cool grass, and warm sand between your toes.
To …

By Danielle N. Lee Outdoor Afro Contributor and author of Urban Science Adventures! ©
Denene Millner and her family set up a tent
It’s summertime and the living is easy, especially if you’re a kid.  Schools out and fun is all that is on their hyperactive minds.  We adults still have jobs to attend, bills to pay and bellies to feed, but there’s no reason why we couldn’t be on the same page, at least for a single night. So, what’s the best way to enjoy the summer with your kiddos that’s fun, affordable, and …