Nature should be for everyone regardless of your skin color, but to this day, it can be an unwelcoming place if you’re not white. I’ve had the pleasure to explore nature across the world, from British Colombia and California, to Scotland and South Africa, and while my experience has overwhelmingly been awesome, I’ve also had to experience the surprise, dismissiveness, avoidance and rare hostility that is sometimes directed towards black people enjoying the outdoors.
For me, the joy of exploring nature and appreciating the beautiful creatures in it far outweighs any feelings others might have about me being there. This month’s Backyard Bio has been an incredibly fun time for exploring nature! While out discovering the wildlife in my (figurative) backyard, I’ve made some new friends and had a fun time exploring with some old ones as well. Some of these new and old friends were also Black, showing that we Black naturalists are not such a rare species after all!
More and more often, and especially though events like BackyardBio or the #BlackInNature week that happened across social media this summer, I’m encountering naturalists and outdoors-people who don’t fit the traditional mold of a naturalist or outdoors-person. Organizations like Black Girl Outdoor World and KINxFOLK are making spaces for these historically excluded people to enjoy nature. More parks and companies are taking steps to make sure outdoor spaces and communities are truly welcoming for everyone, too.
Nature has always been my favorite place and I’ll always love sharing that space with other people.
