Unpacking "Everybody Outside": A Phrase Rooted in Racial Equality
When I was coming up with a name for my business, I spoke with my friends and family. We threw around many ideas, but nothing seemed to fit. Then my dad reminded me of a story where my mom used to say “everyone outside” when the five of us kids would start driving her crazy. We would then grab our bikes, run around in the woods, climb trees, and dig holes. Those times, covered in dirt, shaped my childhood, encouraging me to be adventurous and curious. I changed the words slightly to every BODY outside to get at the heart of my mission, to make sure every person has the opportunity to connect with nature regardless of physical, cognitive, or sensory impairment.
I have been practicing under this name for about 4 months now, and just recently learned there is a long established history behind this catchphrase. I was scrolling on Instagram, as we all do, and watched a story created by Chelsea Murphy @she_colorsnature. In less than 30s she explained to me what I had been missing, that “everybody outside” or “everyone outdoors” originated from the racial justice movement. Before me even thinking about opening this business, there was extensive work to use this mantra for racial equity and inclusion in the outdoor industry. Fundamentally, by name recognition alone, I am benefitting from work done by the Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community.
We can’t go any further without acknowledging that there is undeniably historical discrimination that have made the outdoors/nature an unsafe place for many in the BIPOC community. From redlining policies that restricted access to recreational areas for communities of color to the existence of sundown towns where BIPOC individuals risked violence if found outside after dark, the outdoors became another arena for segregation and oppression. Even the creation of our national and state parks involved creating a white washed version of “wilderness” that erased the presence of Indigenous people from their ancestral lands. These historical injustices have had lasting effects, contributing to the ongoing disparities in access to and representation in outdoor spaces, underscoring the urgent need for equitable and inclusive practices in outdoor recreation and conservation efforts.
There are many wonderful organizations that are doing the work to expand the capacity for the outdoor industry to be welcoming and inclusive. As I mentioned before, She Colors Nature started by Chelsea Murphy is a community that advocates for racial and equitable outdoor spaces while also celebrating and representing black motherhood in the midst of a very dominant culture in the outdoors. Rue Mapp @ruemapp, founder of Outdoor Afro, was one of the original people working to increase DEI in the outdoor community. She has created a nonprofit that reconnects Black people to their lands, water and wildlife through outdoor education, recreation and conservation. Even a variation of my actual name Everybody Outside has a thriving Facebook group run by Kenji Haroutunian that is “a place for information and inspiration sharing to further diversity and inclusion in outdoor adventuring.”
My point is this, there is always intersectionality when it comes to working in the accessible space. But often times, people like me…a white, middle class female…can benefit from the work done for years by the BIPOC community. I do not have plans to change the name of my business, but I do plan on incorporating the history of Every Body Outside whenever I present in front of others, knowing they may feel connected to this message not from my own work but from the path already blazed ahead of me. It is now my responsibility to step up to my name and keep the message alive. And that is exactly what I plan on doing.
I would love to hear from you all about other BIPOC lead organizations that you believe are doing the hard DEI work through programming and/or advocacy. And I hope you start following some of the people I listed earlier.