National Parks: Inside a Movement to Attract More Visitors of Color | National Geographic

there was a time when I would see

there was a time when I would see African Americans is such an infrequent

African Americans is such an infrequent

African Americans is such an infrequent rate that when I saw them it was just

rate that when I saw them it was just

rate that when I saw them it was just that silence and that was once every

that silence and that was once every

that silence and that was once every month or so when I first came here but

month or so when I first came here but

month or so when I first came here but now my expectation is that every day I’m

now my expectation is that every day I’m

now my expectation is that every day I’m here and at my job I will see an

here and at my job I will see an

here and at my job I will see an african-american in 2013 after visiting

african-american in 2013 after visiting

african-american in 2013 after visiting several national parks and not seeing

several national parks and not seeing

several national parks and not seeing people of color not seeing African

people of color not seeing African

people of color not seeing African Americans I started to grow concerned as

Americans I started to grow concerned as

Americans I started to grow concerned as to why that is so I asked is this a

to why that is so I asked is this a

to why that is so I asked is this a problem for the Park Service and the

problem for the Park Service and the

problem for the Park Service and the Park Service will openly admit to this

Park Service will openly admit to this

Park Service will openly admit to this being a problem they just don’t have the

being a problem they just don’t have the

being a problem they just don’t have the means to solve it so we’ll take

means to solve it so we’ll take

means to solve it so we’ll take grassroot organizations such as mine to

grassroot organizations such as mine to

grassroot organizations such as mine to come in and engage communities of color

come in and engage communities of color

come in and engage communities of color in these outdoor spaces their families

in these outdoor spaces their families

in these outdoor spaces their families haven’t taken them to places like this

haven’t taken them to places like this

haven’t taken them to places like this because their families don’t believe

because their families don’t believe

because their families don’t believe that that there’s a cultural connection

that that there’s a cultural connection

that that there’s a cultural connection or that these places are places for them

or that these places are places for them

or that these places are places for them because the key thing to keep in mind is

because the key thing to keep in mind is

because the key thing to keep in mind is that African Americans would come out of

that African Americans would come out of

that African Americans would come out of a history of exclusion not inclusion so

a history of exclusion not inclusion so

a history of exclusion not inclusion so it’s nice for us to actually receive an

it’s nice for us to actually receive an

it’s nice for us to actually receive an invitation and and so that there’s a

invitation and and so that there’s a

invitation and and so that there’s a sense of safety that when we get there

sense of safety that when we get there

sense of safety that when we get there we’ll be treated fairly and we’ll be

we’ll be treated fairly and we’ll be

we’ll be treated fairly and we’ll be treated with respect

treated with respect

treated with respect there are african-americans right now

there are african-americans right now

there are african-americans right now who have become the director of the

who have become the director of the

who have become the director of the National Park Service I’m referring to

National Park Service I’m referring to

National Park Service I’m referring to buffs and there are African Americans

buffs and there are African Americans

buffs and there are African Americans who are right now chief Rangers but they

who are right now chief Rangers but they

who are right now chief Rangers but they are in general unknown to the larger

are in general unknown to the larger

are in general unknown to the larger culture of African Americans so there

culture of African Americans so there

culture of African Americans so there needs to be a little bit more clarity

needs to be a little bit more clarity

needs to be a little bit more clarity and an expression of the accomplishments

and an expression of the accomplishments

and an expression of the accomplishments that these pioneers have made before

that these pioneers have made before

that these pioneers have made before there was a National Park Service in

there was a National Park Service in

there was a National Park Service in 1916 it was the US Army there took care

1916 it was the US Army there took care

1916 it was the US Army there took care of all the national parks and it just so

of all the national parks and it just so

of all the national parks and it just so happened that during that period there

happened that during that period there

happened that during that period there was the 9th cavalry which was an

was the 9th cavalry which was an

was the 9th cavalry which was an all-black unit the Buffalo Soldiers were

all-black unit the Buffalo Soldiers were

all-black unit the Buffalo Soldiers were African American soldiers that were

African American soldiers that were

African American soldiers that were allowed to join the regular US military

allowed to join the regular US military

allowed to join the regular US military after the end of the Civil War so they

after the end of the Civil War so they

after the end of the Civil War so they went to Yosemite and protected it from

went to Yosemite and protected it from

went to Yosemite and protected it from poacher

poacher

poacher protected it from people who will start

protected it from people who will start

protected it from people who will start forest fires and and part of that whole

forest fires and and part of that whole

forest fires and and part of that whole history has been sort of lost in way

history has been sort of lost in way

history has been sort of lost in way American history stop I never saw people

American history stop I never saw people

American history stop I never saw people that really looked like me on the trail

that really looked like me on the trail

that really looked like me on the trail you know I was fortunate enough to you

you know I was fortunate enough to you

you know I was fortunate enough to you know have a father that was a lover of

know have a father that was a lover of

know have a father that was a lover of nature too

nature too

nature too and so at a early age I remember one of

and so at a early age I remember one of

and so at a early age I remember one of our first national parks we went to

our first national parks we went to

our first national parks we went to Yosemite and I was just blown away and

Yosemite and I was just blown away and

Yosemite and I was just blown away and we hiked up to the Falls and I’ve been

we hiked up to the Falls and I’ve been

we hiked up to the Falls and I’ve been hooked I’ve been hooked ever since

it’s important for people of color to

it’s important for people of color to develop or reestablish relationships

develop or reestablish relationships

develop or reestablish relationships with the outdoors so that in 15 to 20

with the outdoors so that in 15 to 20

with the outdoors so that in 15 to 20 years when people of color are the

years when people of color are the

years when people of color are the number one demographic in the country we

number one demographic in the country we

number one demographic in the country we will have established those

will have established those

will have established those relationships when Olivia is an adult

relationships when Olivia is an adult

relationships when Olivia is an adult and she’s my age I really hope that

and she’s my age I really hope that

and she’s my age I really hope that these parks are preserved giving her

these parks are preserved giving her

these parks are preserved giving her this introduction now I hope that this

this introduction now I hope that this

this introduction now I hope that this seed is planted so deep within her that

seed is planted so deep within her that

seed is planted so deep within her that you know you know we never know we may

you know you know we never know we may

you know you know we never know we may be raising one of the world’s you know

be raising one of the world’s you know

be raising one of the world’s you know conservationists but this is just

conservationists but this is just

conservationists but this is just beautiful it’s beautiful and we need to

beautiful it’s beautiful and we need to

beautiful it’s beautiful and we need to protect it

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