Outdoor Afro Contributor and Author Brandelyn N. Castine, author of U.G.L.Y talks about how a spiritual salute to the outdoors began her day in a whole new way.

I am the first person to tell you that mornings are not my favorite time of day.
Usually after hitting the snooze button multiple times, I quickly find myself in a flurry of searching through my closet hoping for something decent and not too wrinkled to wear, quick showers, slipshod breakfasts (if any) and rushing out of the door with just enough time …

Dianne Glave, Atlanta-based environmental author and Outdoor Afro friend, attended the annual Keeping it Wild Gala last night, a fundraiser for the organization that was created in 2005 by several Atlanta citizen-advocates who perceived the need to bring together members of diverse conservation communities to promote stewardship for the natural lands in the area. Following are Dianne’s reflections on the event, originally posted on her fantastic site:

Sometimes  better, sometimes easier, to start with endings than beginnings . . .
I sat in the amphitheater at Zoo Atlanta listening to Shelton Johnson. …

By Chelsea Griffie, Outdoor Afro Contributor
This year’s Women of Color trip by the Balanced Rock Foundation was July 21st to 25th. Our group ventured to Ostrander Lake also in Yosemite (see below). The premise of these trips is to increase the representation of women of color in the back country, while also providing a safe and supportive environment to learn new skills and connect with the outdoors.
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This year, there were a total of five participants, with two instructors, and an intern, which meant that participants were able to …

nullDianne Glave has been a friend of Outdoor Afro from the beginning, starting when I discovered her important work related to African American foodways to research for a blog I wrote last year. Dianne’s newest book, Rooted in the Earth: Reclaiming the African American Environmental Heritage has just begun arriving in mailboxes this week. So we asked Dianne to share with us some of the journey leading her to write this terrific work, and we hope you will be inspired to purchase your own copy that covers a ground-breaking …

I met Jenna Burton last month at a bike ride in the San Francisco Bay Area that was just too much fun — the Red, Bike, and Green ride she and her friends organize each month.  The ride meandered through urban terrain as diverse as the people who live in it, and I can’t recall laughing so much on a bike ride! Here is my interview with Jenna, who shares some of what she loves about cycling and the outdoors:
What is an early memory of riding your bike?
My dad taught …

I had an amazing childhood, but did not know about a lot of opportunities that were available to me.

 
I met Karen last week at a local college event, and discovered we had some wonderful things in common, such as motherhood, blogging, and a passion for the outdoors. Karen shares with us how she discovered outdoor recreation, and what it means to her family today.
 
What experiences did you have as a youth that influence how you interact with natural spaces today?
As a kid, other than going to a local park to …

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 …

that it almost makes me fly to be on the same blog page as her…
Momma and Miss J
I’m talking about Ms. Bar B., fellow Cal student and mom extraordinaire. I credit her as a key instigator who opened a window into the world of “blogging while black”, but most importantly she helped to re-awaken in me what was there all along: a genuine desire to connect people with resources that make a positive difference in their lives. Since starting Outdoor Afro almost a year ago, she has represented a steady …

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 …