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 …

I was thrilled to see the Outdoor Afro facebook fan base cross the 3K mark this morning, as part of its steady and organic growth over these last two years. To commemorate the milestone, I asked our lucky 3000th fan to share more about herself, and what she cares about in the outdoors. She will also receive a REI Gift Certificate, courtesy of the REI store in Berkeley, California.

Name: Cleopatra Warren
Region: Atlanta, Georgia
Profession: Secondary Educator/Social Studies
M.A. Education, New York University New York,NY
B.A. Political Science, Morris Brown College Atlanta,GA
What she loves about …

An Outdoor Afro community member just shared this clip with me as a fun reminder of how all creatures enjoy the mud:

The sorrow I feel for the loss of life and suffering is hardly describable, but I am heartened by all the innovative ways people and nations are stepping up to lend a hand using social media. Partners in Health is one organization that has been in the practice of providing quality healthcare for the global poor for two decades:

If you have not donated already to another organization, or still deciding where to make a contribution, please consider supporting PIH who are already mobilized in Haiti and need your support to …

Happy New Year! I am so excited about all that lies ahead for 2010. I’ve got some pretty cool stories in the works to provide more inspiration and visibility of people of color outdoors, as well as some new partnerships to help make it easy for people to get outside.
An earlier look
In 2009, Outdoor Afro was born as a simple Blogger blog and has since been transformed using WordPress and Facebook. The experience of developing the site has opened up a new universe of possibilities for many. To discuss and participate in the …

I don’t know about you, but I have been caught up in the exciting rush of holiday activities! Like Thanksgiving, I can’t wait to bring our family and friends together to catch up, eat great food, and laugh until our sides hurt. Unfortunately this means less time for writing, and I finally realized that it’s perfectly OK to take a little vacay from the keyboard – I just need to let folks know so they know I’m alright — and I am more than alright!
That said, I wish all Outdoor …

So I am headed out to the beautiful Feather River Camp tomorrow with the kidlets, who have been asking “are we there yet?” since January. But I expect my facebook and blogging withdrawals to arrive Tuesday, when I’ll fight the urge to drive to the Quincy town library for a quick email/facebook/twitter/blogger peek, via the only internet connection in the county.
Photo By Wharman

Instead I’ll revive a time in my life that existed before I got hooked to the social media I.V., and immerse myself in friends and family. I …

As the weather gets clearer by the day, you’ll find hiking is an easy way to get outdoors with the least amount of work and expense. Hiking with kids can be especially rewarding with just a little planning. Here are 10 tips to get you on your way.
1. For young children, plan initial hikes that take no more than 20-30 minutes. Older kids can trek for about an hour. If you are carrying an infant in a carrier, make sure it is adjusted well – your back will thank you.
2. …