Featured Outdoor Diversity Organization: Black Kids Adventures
We’ve previously written about the barriers many Black communities face when it comes to outdoor recreation. Statistics show that Black Americans make up only 7% of national park visitors (some studies show that it’s as low as 1%) while making up 13% of the U.S. population.
In our continued community effort to feature organizations that are working to bridge the gap between outdoor spaces and underrepresented communities, during the month of December we’re featuring Black Kids Adventures, Inc.
Learn more about them below and please consider making a donation to support their ongoing efforts to make the outdoors more inclusive.
About Black Kids Adventures, Inc.
Black Kids Adventures, Inc. is a non-profit organization based out of Huntsville, Alabama working towards improved outdoor diversity and inclusion. Their mission is to make sure all Black and Brown families and children have equal access to outdoor opportunities and adventures.
They believe that more outdoor diversity begins with early exposure, education and empowerment. Since the founding of Black Kids Adventures in June of 2020, the organization has served over 100 people in the Huntsville community.
They’ve done so through hiking meetups and their family yoga series, while also continuing to serve their local communities and expand their program offerings.
Programs
Programs by Black Kids Adventures, Inc, include a variety of meetups, ranging from hiking and outdoor yoga to other planned activities for future gatherings, including paddle boarding, rock climbing and kayaking.
Family camping is another focus for the organization: their first family camp takes place in December 2020. This camping trip allows families who haven’t had the opportunity to camp before, or whose children have never had a camping experience, to start a positive relationship with the outdoors.
Founder
Zenovia B. Stephens is the founder of Black Kids Adventures, Inc. and is also one of the three founders of Black Hikers Week, #blackhikersweek on social media. Along with her husband and three sons, she has built a family foundation focused on creativity, exploration, exposure and adventure.
Their goal is to inspire other families to embark on their own outdoor adventures. You can follow their family adventures on Instagram at @blackadventurecrew.
Support and Donate
Please consider supporting this organization directly. Donations can be made using the link below:
Donate
Donations help fund the programming and operation costs of Black Kids Adventures. Funding helps pay for equipment rentals and program instructors, camping fees, gear and treats.
It also provides hiking gear and apparel to families who may not have funds for or access to outdoor apparel and equipment. Additionally, funding will also go towards future scholarship programs for graduating highschoolers.
Follow Black Kids Adventures
- Website: https://www.blackadventurecrew.com/black-kids-hike
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackkidsadventures/ & https://www.instagram.com/blackadventurecrew/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/blackadventurecrew/
You Can Help Bridge the Race Gap in the Outdoor Industry
An overview of organizations we have supported can be found here. This document contains information about what these organizations are doing and how you can donate to them directly.
We also set up a submission form you can use if you know an organization that’s working to make the outdoors more diverse and inclusive. If you want to see them supported, please submit via this form.