Outdoor Afro: Reconnecting With Nature

Published: Dec. 16, 2019, 3:15 p.m.

Imagine yourself walking among trees dappled with sun. A clear stream gurgles nearby. Maybe your shoulders relaxed a bit just picturing it. But for some African Americans walking in the woods is tied to a legacy of racial terror, and could trigger quite the opposite response. The national nonprofit Outdoor Afro is inspiring African Americans to reclaim the outdoors as a place to refresh the spirit, replenish the soul … and simply have fun! We hear from local organizer Monette Bailey, and from the founder of Outdoor Afro, Rue Mapp.