BIPoC Outside – Details, episodes & analysis

Ellen Bradley is a Lingít scientist and professional skier whose work brings Indigenous perspective to both climate science and the outdoor industry. We had the opportunity to sit down with Ellen to discuss her work, how skiing helps her connect with land and identity, the arc of western science, extractive tourism; what it is, the consequences, and what perpetuates it, how the skiing industry's approach to wild places is rooted in colonialism, the impacts of tourism, and how we have to have critical conversations about societal systems if we hope to make change.

Brittany Leavitt is a jill of all trades in the climbing community as an educator, instructor, athlete, and community organizer. She is also a founding member and now Executive Director of Brown Girls Climb; a national non-profit which strives to facilitate mentorship, provide access, uplift leadership, and celebrate representation in the outdoors and climbing for People of the Global Majority. We had the opportunity to sit down with Brittany to discuss her work both with and outside of Brown Girls Climb, recreating in urban space, building and recognizing capacity, reciprocal recreation, intentional language, and how to mindfully take up space.

Jose Gonzalez is a professional educator, conservationist, artist, community builder, the co-founder of the Outdoorist Oath, and founder of Latino Outdoors. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jose to discuss Latino Outdoors, making structural changes to our approach to environmental conservation, education, engagement and inclusion, the spectrum of nearby nature to far away wilderness, and the power that comes when we build constellations, not stars.

Dr. Lydia Jennings is a soil scientist, science communicator, educator, and long-distance runner. We had the opportunity to sit down with Lydia to discuss her work, environmental policy impacts, Indigenous data sovereignty, the cultural history of spaces, running to decode land, 50 Miles for 50 Indigenous Scientists, disrupting deficit narratives, celebrating #LandBack at the Boston Marathon, and building relationship with place.  

Mardi Fuller is an Outdoors Woman, fully and unapologetically. She is also a multi-sport athlete, outdoor educator, and outdoor leader. We had the opportunity to sit down with Mardi to discuss the White Mountain region of New Hampshire, the opportunity cost of being in the outdoors as a racialized person, the ridiculousness of 'firsts', ski bum culture, racial literacy, water safety in Black communities, and the importance of claiming it.

James Edward Mills is a freelance journalist, contributor to National Geographic Magazine, a Fellow of the Mountain & Wilderness Writing Program of the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada, a professional educator, and a recipient of the Paul K. Petzoldt Award For Environmental Education. He is also the author of “The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors” and the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film “An American Ascent”. We had the opportunity to sit down with James to talk about his work and upcoming projects, Expedition Denali and how the outdoor world has changed in the 10 years since, the modern history of Black adventuring, the consequences of environmental apathy including the Willow Project, addressing the culture of space, and learning to be future elders.

Ruandy Albisurez is a multisport athlete, professional sports photographer, mountain bike educator, community organizer, and the founder of Warpaint Magazine, filling the gap in media coverage of BIPoC folk in the outdoors. We had the opportunity to sit down with Ruandy to discuss his career and community work, problematic narratives in traditional sports media, extractive journalist practices when working in the global south, the impetus for Warpaint and the importance of telling our stories through our lens.

Josephine Baran is a multisport athlete, a professional in the outdoor industry, and the director of the Outward Bound Canada Training Academy. We had the opportunity to sit down with Josephine to discuss her career, the barriers to the outdoors both, recreationally and as a career path, the increase in eco-anxiety, and how the Training Academy is working to change that.

Connor Ryan is a professional skier, ultra runner, and film director actively working to decolonize the outdoors. We had the opportunity to sit down with Connor for the second time to discuss the huge response to Spirit of the Peaks, Indigenous running traditions, renaming Mount Evans, the importance of placenames and language, and how it’s not activism, it’s an obligation.

Coree Woltering is a professional runner of all distances on all surfaces. We had the opportunity to sit down with Coree to discuss his career progression, growing up in the industry, creating space for the next generation, and how getting out into the real world can restore your faith in humanity.