Ran across a great book while doing research on racism in the environmental movement.
Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places
Each person interviewed talks about what they do outdoors and when/how they first became attracted to nature. They also discuss their views on (usually) being the only Black/Brown person in a “wild place” and on what they think keeps other people of color from experiencing the wild outdoors (variety of reasons given… poverty, too many responsibilities at home, not wanting to expose themselves to overt racism in small town America, etc.) .
The author of the book is Dudley Edmondson, a Black nature photographer/writer. So yeah.. the book has amazing photographs but also a great message: “Nature without question is for everyone.”
The purpose of the book is to encourage more Black people to discover nature and also for people to quit talking about what we don’t do. We (can) do everything!
I’m a nature enthusiast myself, and I’d love to not be the only Black person for miles and miles all the time. I cannot remember ever having any racist experiences on any of my little adventures… however, people in the book share some unfortunate stories. But, don’t let a fear of racist events stop you from enjoying nature. The land is a part of our culture! It is only in the last hundred years or so that Black people have become urbanized. Before this, we always had a relationship with nature. It’s time to reconnect!
(via youngblackandvegan)
