Discussing Diversity in Parks
b'
You may find this episode uncomfortable. I am fine with that. John Griffith will call you out.
Our parks are not just for white guys in fleece jackets. You would have that impression though if you visited most of our national our state parks. Park Rangers are not a diverse group. Neither are park visitors, for the most part.
If the answer is to hire diverse employees for only office jobs and think that\'s a good enough effort for your diversity goals, message of parks will eventually go extinct.
That is the message John Griffith preaches to stakeholders of national and state parks.
John is a supervisor with the California Conservation Corps, who has become best known for his hip-hop dancing.
The attention John has received for his dancing has allowed him a new platform to spread his message of conservation and diversity.
What We Talk About
\\u2022 The importance of exploring outdoors \\u2022 How urban youth respond to the outdoors \\u2022 Diversity in Parks \\u2022 Why outreach to minority groups does not work \\u2022 Finding ways to connect with diverse demographic groups \\u2022 Making recreation appealing vs. protecting the park \\u2022 How people build relationships with nature \\u2022 How dancing has allowed John to connect with Urban Youth \\u2022 The sacred role of a Park Ranger
Resources
\\u2022 John Griffith\'s Youtube Channel \\u2022 California Conservation Corps \\u2022 The Corps Network \\u2022 Outdoor Afro \\u2022 Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv \\u2022 Totem Magic: Going Mad by John Griffith \\u2022 Music by Jason Harrod
Here is the video of John dancing that got all of the attention;
The Boss Dances Like a BOSS! John Griffith Dancing to Travis Porter (click to watch on YouTube
Once I saw this video I knew I had to talk to John;
\\xa0John Griffith Dancing to Bird Machine by DJ Snake (click to watch on YouTube)
'