Series - Youth Environmental Leadership

Here’s how BIPOC youth-led nature groups are adding colour to the great, white outdoors

Author Neha Chollangi
Though the Canadian outdoors can often be seen as a “white space,” these BIPOC youth leaders are creating space for other racialized youth to feel comfortable in nature

Why It Matters

Many racialized youth face barriers to accessing nature, but bridging this gap can improve their physical and mental health, and also help bring more Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) into Canada’s very white environmental sector.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"Here\u2019s how BIPOC youth-led nature groups are adding colour to the great, white outdoors. This story is in partnership with the Lawson Foundation. See our editorial ethics and standards here .\u00a0 Patricia Wilson\u2019s first in-person outdoor event for Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) was an intro to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. It took place on a warm, sunny winter day \u2014 unseasonably warm for winter at 13 degrees \u2014 just north of Peterborough, Ontario. Wilson was worried that many people would cancel because of the weather, assuming that the trails would be in less-than-ideal conditions for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.\u00a0 But 40 participants showed up that day. All diverse faces, many international student

Join a community of 2000+ impact-oriented professionals like you. Get full access to this story and all Future of Good content, including tickets to our digital events and networking, with a membership.