
Author
Field Mag
Ed Note: We'd like to acknowledge the current global antiracism movement is built upon the continued killing of Black Americans by police. To expand our purview and encourage greater diversity as a whole within our outdoor community, we opened this evolving list to include Indigenous and People of Color, too.
This list is evolving. Help us highlight more outdoorists—email suggestions to hello @ fieldmag dot com. Thank you!
Representation in the outdoors is hugely important. And severely lacking. One of the absolute easiest ways to help change this is to follow and support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) athletes, advocates, collectives, and creatives within the outdoor space.
The detriments of a homogenous outdoor culture are clear. A lack of visibility can lead to a lack of understanding of and empathy for different people and different cultures. This rings true for the company you keep, the media you consume, and the accounts you follow on social. Exclusively showing white people (usually white men) participating in outdoor activities promotes a false narrative of what a competent “outdoorsman” looks like, while also perpetuating stigmas in underrepresented communities that nature is not for them.
On the other hand, seeing people of different backgrounds enjoy the same activities that you identify with can help erode implicit biases and strengthen a sense of community through shared interest. It also, hopefully, invites you to see “your” sport from an alternate perspective.
No, following a couple dozen BIPOC outdoorists isn’t going to solve systemic racism. Yes, you still need to self educate—and if you can, donate to BLM affiliated organizations, bail funds, and police reform initiatives. Sharing antiracist materials, helpful guides for fellow allies, and promoting BIPOC activist voices is hugely encouraged too. (Maybe even Venmo your favorite hiker, climber, photog, or artist directly.) But it’s a start.
The following are BIPOC outdoor ogranizations, collectives, nonprofits, and general group accounts to follow right now on Instagram. Curated by Field Mag editors, contributors, and Luisa Jeffery aka @youdidnotsleepthere.
Also see: 101 BIPOC Outdoor Instagram Accounts to Follow Right Now
BIPOC in the Great Outdoors
- All Mountain Brothers | @allmountainbrothers | MTB
- Black Adventuristas | @blackadventuristas
- Black Girls Run | @officialblackgirlsrun | Running
- Black People Who Hike | @blackpeoplewhohike | Hiking
- Brown Folks Fishing | @brownfolksfishing | Fishing
- Brown Girl Outdoor World | @rowngirl_outdoorworld
- Brown People Camping | @brownpeoplecamping
- Camp Yoshi | @camp.yoshi | Camping & Overlanding
- Color Outside | @wecoloroutside
- Colour the Trails | @colourthetrails
- Diversify Vanlife | @diversify.vanlife | Vanlife
- Indigenous Women Hike | @indigenouswomenhike | Hiking
- Latino Outdoors | @latinooutdoors
- Major Taylor Cycling Club | Los Angeles & Minnesota | Cycling
- Melanin Basecamp | @melaninbasecamp
- NativesOutdoors | @nativesoutdoors
- Native Womens Wilderness | @nativewomenswilderness
- Outdoor Afro | @outdoorafro
- Outside Voices | @outsidevoicespodcast | Podcast
- Paddle Like a Girl | @paddlelikeagirl_ | Canoeing
- PDX POC Outdoors | Website | General Outdoors
- QPOCHikers | @qpochikers | Hiking
- Soul Trak Outdoors | @soultrakoutdoors
- The Lady Alliance | @theladyalliance
- The OutdoorJournal Tour | @outdoorjournaltour
- Unlikely Hikers | @unlikelyhikers | Hiking
BIPOC Outdoor Youth Organizations
- Black Outside, Inc | @blackoutside_inc
- Camp Founder Girls | @campfoundergirls | Summer Camp
- Camping to Connect | Website | NYC
- Dillon Ojo Foundation | @dillonojolifelinefoundation
- Get Out Stay Out | @getout.stayout | Indigenous Youth Nonprofit
- Stoked | @stokedorg | Boardsports
BIPOC Climbing Collectives
- Brothers of Climbing | @boccrew | NYC
- Brown Girls Climb | @browngirlsclimb
- MÁS | @mas.world | Art & Photography
- Sending In Color | @sendingincolor | Chicago
- Color the Crag | @colorthecrag | Event
- Brown Ascenders | @thebrownascender | Nonprofit
BIPOC Surf Clubs & Collectives
- Black Surfing Association | @blacksurfingrockaway | NYC
- City Surf Project | @citysurfproject | SF
- Black Girls Surf | @blackgirlssurf
- Textured Waves | @texturedwaves
- Me Water Foundation | @mewaterfoundation | Nonprofit
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Focused
- 1 Planet One People | @1planetonepeople | Climate Action, Racial & Social Equality
- Black Girls Trekkin' | @blackgirlstrekkin | Conservation & Education
- Camber Outdoors | @camberoutdoors
- Outdor CEO Pledge | @outdoorceopledge
- PGM ONE Summit | @pgmonesummit | Event
- Wild Diversity | @wilddiversity
Published 12-29-2020