Dear Wild Gift Community,
We’re writing to affirm that Wild Gift stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
The recent murder of George Floyd is another egregious reminder that structural racism and white supremacy continue to wreak havoc on Black people in this country. Black communities are over-policed, they are incarcerated at a drastically disproportionate rate, and they are brutalized and murdered by the police. Indeed, as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must simultaneously confront the dis-ease of racism which is also widespread and fatal.
The need to act for Black lives is inextricably tied to our mission to empower environmental entrepreneurs.
- There is no way to ameliorate the environmental effects of waste, pollution, and climate change without recognizing that the health and welfare of Black people are disproportionately affected by them.
- There's no way to ignore that the political and economic systems which assume that environmental degradation is a necessary cost of doing business are the same systems which accept the marginilization, abuse, and murder of Black bodies.
- There is no way to promote the benefits of wild nature with a clear conscience without recognizing that the places we love (like the Sawtooth Mountains) are often inaccessible to people of color.
As the leaders of Wild Gift, we submit this letter to you with humility as we continue to reflect on our own complicity in perpetuating structural racism. For one, in 17 years, and with more than 60 alumni, we have only awarded fellowships to four Black entrepreneurs, two of which are represented in the current class. We must do better.
We can only make progress by facing the problem and taking collective action. There are many ways to act for structural change: protesting, voting for progressive legislators, advocating for Black representation in our organizations and industries, to name a few. Right now, we want to share a few very specific ways to support the Black entrepreneurs in our network who are affecting real change through their ventures.
We’re writing to affirm that Wild Gift stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
The recent murder of George Floyd is another egregious reminder that structural racism and white supremacy continue to wreak havoc on Black people in this country. Black communities are over-policed, they are incarcerated at a drastically disproportionate rate, and they are brutalized and murdered by the police. Indeed, as we continue to deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must simultaneously confront the dis-ease of racism which is also widespread and fatal.
The need to act for Black lives is inextricably tied to our mission to empower environmental entrepreneurs.
- There is no way to ameliorate the environmental effects of waste, pollution, and climate change without recognizing that the health and welfare of Black people are disproportionately affected by them.
- There's no way to ignore that the political and economic systems which assume that environmental degradation is a necessary cost of doing business are the same systems which accept the marginilization, abuse, and murder of Black bodies.
- There is no way to promote the benefits of wild nature with a clear conscience without recognizing that the places we love (like the Sawtooth Mountains) are often inaccessible to people of color.
As the leaders of Wild Gift, we submit this letter to you with humility as we continue to reflect on our own complicity in perpetuating structural racism. For one, in 17 years, and with more than 60 alumni, we have only awarded fellowships to four Black entrepreneurs, two of which are represented in the current class. We must do better.
We can only make progress by facing the problem and taking collective action. There are many ways to act for structural change: protesting, voting for progressive legislators, advocating for Black representation in our organizations and industries, to name a few. Right now, we want to share a few very specific ways to support the Black entrepreneurs in our network who are affecting real change through their ventures.
Alex Bailey
Black Outside
Black Outside provides transformative outdoor experiences to students of color across central Texas, particularly those from low-income communities. In the past two weeks, Black Outside has experienced a surge of media attention over the past two weeks resulting in $85,000 in unsolicited donations and a potential corporate partnership with Yeti.
Support Alex and Black Outside:
Alex has a big dream of leveraging some of Black Outside’s recent donations to bring a small group of youth to Idaho for a week-long trek (akin to a Wild Gift trek). He envisions the small group of Black youth to include exceptional leaders from a few different Black Outside programs who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and outdoor adventure. He’s asking the Wild Gift network to donate and additional $12,000 to make this dream a reality.
To discuss further, and donate: contact Alex at [email protected]
Black Outside
Black Outside provides transformative outdoor experiences to students of color across central Texas, particularly those from low-income communities. In the past two weeks, Black Outside has experienced a surge of media attention over the past two weeks resulting in $85,000 in unsolicited donations and a potential corporate partnership with Yeti.
Support Alex and Black Outside:
Alex has a big dream of leveraging some of Black Outside’s recent donations to bring a small group of youth to Idaho for a week-long trek (akin to a Wild Gift trek). He envisions the small group of Black youth to include exceptional leaders from a few different Black Outside programs who have demonstrated a commitment to community service and outdoor adventure. He’s asking the Wild Gift network to donate and additional $12,000 to make this dream a reality.
To discuss further, and donate: contact Alex at [email protected]
Diamon Clark
Black by Nature
Black by Nature’s mission is to increase the rate of Black college students graduating from ecology-focused degree programs. This fellowship offers career exploration through outdoor field study, outdoor retreats designed to strengthen community, a curriculum that contextualizes environmental justice within conservation science, and a network of partners to support student success.
Diamon recently won a $10,000 planning grant for Black by Nature through an organization called Baltimore Corps, an organization through which she has been participating in monthly workshops relating to business models, branding/marketing, partnership building, results-based planning, etc. Diamon is leveraging this planning phase to launch a pilot program this September.
Support Diamon and Black by Nature:
Diamon is planning to launch a new website very soon! For now, you can contact her to discuss further and donate at [email protected]
Black by Nature
Black by Nature’s mission is to increase the rate of Black college students graduating from ecology-focused degree programs. This fellowship offers career exploration through outdoor field study, outdoor retreats designed to strengthen community, a curriculum that contextualizes environmental justice within conservation science, and a network of partners to support student success.
Diamon recently won a $10,000 planning grant for Black by Nature through an organization called Baltimore Corps, an organization through which she has been participating in monthly workshops relating to business models, branding/marketing, partnership building, results-based planning, etc. Diamon is leveraging this planning phase to launch a pilot program this September.
Support Diamon and Black by Nature:
- Donate new (or gently used) camping gear (sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cookware, and tents)
- Donate to cover travel (including airline mileage rewards)
- Sponsor a week-long excursion for a small group of students
- Environmental field scientists willing to facilitate an inspiring field experience for a small group of students
Diamon is planning to launch a new website very soon! For now, you can contact her to discuss further and donate at [email protected]
Ki'Amber Thompson
Charles Roundtree Bloom Project
Bloom Project is an outdoor healing justice program in San Antonio, Texas for low income youth of color of incarcerated parents or caregivers.
Ki’Amber need to build the capacity of the Bloom Project so that we can extend our reach and deepen our impact for youth of color in our community. Here are my asks:
Support Ki’Amber and Bloom Project:
Charles Roundtree Bloom Project
Bloom Project is an outdoor healing justice program in San Antonio, Texas for low income youth of color of incarcerated parents or caregivers.
Ki’Amber need to build the capacity of the Bloom Project so that we can extend our reach and deepen our impact for youth of color in our community. Here are my asks:
Support Ki’Amber and Bloom Project:
- Donate $160,000/year for 4 full-time staff salaries
- Donate $15,000/year for strategic planning retreats, consultation, and trainings
- Donate $6,000/year for marketing
There’s an extensive library of resources to better understand the intersectionality of race and ecology. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more.
For now, here are few things to listen to, including an episode from a podcast that we’re in the process of piloting called Peak > Valley > Pass.
Birding While Black: This episode of Outside/In explores the Twitter phenomenon known as #blackbirdersweek that formed in response to an incident between a Black birder asked a white dog owner in Central Park. Part 2 of the episode explores how racist housing policies drive unequal exposure to climate-driven heat waves.
1619: This is a powerful audio series from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery and examining the ways racism continues to mainifest in contemporary life.
Filling the Gap: In our inaugural episode Wild Gift’s own podcast series, we interview Black Outside founder, Alex Bailey, about how he is “filling the gap” between public education for Black students and wilderness leadership programming.
Yours in solidarity in the struggle for justice,
Chas Edens, Executive Director
2020 Alumni Board of Directors
For now, here are few things to listen to, including an episode from a podcast that we’re in the process of piloting called Peak > Valley > Pass.
Birding While Black: This episode of Outside/In explores the Twitter phenomenon known as #blackbirdersweek that formed in response to an incident between a Black birder asked a white dog owner in Central Park. Part 2 of the episode explores how racist housing policies drive unequal exposure to climate-driven heat waves.
1619: This is a powerful audio series from The New York Times observing the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery and examining the ways racism continues to mainifest in contemporary life.
Filling the Gap: In our inaugural episode Wild Gift’s own podcast series, we interview Black Outside founder, Alex Bailey, about how he is “filling the gap” between public education for Black students and wilderness leadership programming.
Yours in solidarity in the struggle for justice,
Chas Edens, Executive Director
2020 Alumni Board of Directors