Photos by Rob Brodman

I had the fortunate opportunity to attend the  Bay Area Open Space Council Conference organized by Breaking the Color Barrier alumna and Executive Director Bettina Ring to celebrate and reflect on 20 years of conservation in the Bay Area and beyond. At the capacity filled event in the beautiful Presidio Club House was a dynamic mix of individuals and organizations who shared a range of data and stories: from the good news of how the San Francisco Bay Area has benefited from preserving its open spaces, to the …

“African Americans have a somewhat unknown heritage in the historical realm of birding”
Outdoor Afro interviews Douglas Gray, an avid birder, who shares in his own words the gratification he experiences birding, and why it is an important and relevant activity for anyone.
How did you develop an interest in birds?
My interest in birds started as a young child.  I grew up on my grandfather’s farm outside Clarksville, Tennessee (actually Woodlawn, Tennessee, but “Woodlawn” is a lot harder to find on a map!).  Naturally I would see many birds on the farm, …

As many of you have noticed from my Facebook and Twitter posts, today has been filled with a whirlwind of activity!
I know I should be asleep now, but I just had to share some of what made today buzz. It starting with time spent with Hazel Wong who graciously opened her home to me so I could catch up on some missed rest after a red-eye. After a brief nap, Dudley Edmondson and I met up to grab a bite at the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. The two of us …

By Suz Lipman,
Social Media Director for the Children & Nature Network

The Obama Administration is recognizing the importance of the outdoors to people’s health and well-being, with two important new programs: The White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign to eradicate childhood obesity.
The White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors will be held Friday, April 16. C&NN President Cheryl Charles, C&NN Associate Rue Mapp (Outdoor Afro) and other movement leadership will be in attendance. President Obama is scheduled to deliver remarks to the …

“if I have to work for a living, this is not a bad way to do it,”– Rodney
Here is part two of the delightful interview with Rodney, co-owner of Strawberry Creek Inn, located in southern California, posted earlier this week. This interview wraps up a run of posts that contemplate the intersection of personal passion and the outdoors. I hope you’ll enjoy reading this interview about the journey of owning a B&B as much as I did:
Ian and Rodney riding a "Hybrid"
What would you describe as a memorable moment …

I woke up this Sunday morning to the sound of rain that dashed any aspirations I had of heading over the bridge to meet another family at an outdoor children’s museum. Not that I mind the rain, I just don’t enjoy crowds plus rain. Instead, I will likely take a stroll with my kids around the neighborhood, feel the wind and rain on my face, until I can’t resist the urge to jump back inside for a hot cup of tea under a cozy blanket.
But others in the Outdoor Afro …

I met Julia last fall at the Breaking the Color Barrier Conference in Atlanta, Georgia where she did a dazzling job as conference moderator. When I heard about her idea back then for Highway to a Husband, an adventure across the country to explore outdoor spaces and find a mate, I wondered how anyone as beautiful as Julia might have trouble in the man department? Well, Julia explains why here in this sneak peek into her fun and unfolding adventure in a recent interview with Outdoor Afro:
Why Highway to a Husband now?

Well, I …

I only live a couple of flat miles away from my job at the local Audubon, so with the warm arrival of spring in the Bay Area, I have no good reason not to take the stroll to and from work. Besides, I can definitely use the exercise after enjoying a winter filled with delicious food!
Photo by architect.bekir-mima
Since walking, the experience has been both delightful and engaging as walking has a way of making contact with outdoor spaces both easy and intimate. I notice and interact with moments and matter I would …

Welcome to the Inaugural Edition of the Outdoor Afro Blog Carnival!
Wooo hooo….confetti falls…
So what is a Blog Carnival anyway? Well, I learned it is a terrific way to spread your blog wings into new topics, while connecting with more people. And that’s all I needed to know before signing up!  But I also recognized the term ‘carnival’ has a cultural meaning for some that is different than the experience of a spin on the ol’ ferris wheel. So I decided to honor the festive connotation of another kind of Carnival …

Last week, Outdoor Afro had a chance to chat with Audrey Peterman, author, motivational speaker, and founding organizer of the monumental Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia last September.
Audrey Peterman (Photo: ncpa.org)
Here is the first of two parts of our delightful interview:
Rue: In the past several years you have cultivated a life where your interaction with natural spaces is a part of who you are. How did this happen?
Audrey: In a sense, it’s about returning to my roots. I grew up in …