Have you ever heard about or encountered the stereotype about black people hating to swim? It's pretty ridiculous. Plenty of black people — and white people, and Hispanic people, and Asian people, and Native American people, and people in general — can be found in pools or bodies of water, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Especially at this time of year, when climate change is causing heatwaves around the world (teehee!).
Anyway, apparently there's another stereotype floating around out there about recreational activities for black people. Apparently they're overwhelmed by being in the outdoors! We weren't aware of this until NBC News brought it to our attention, so thank you, NBC News, for this vital bit of journalism:
“There is trauma related to being outdoors,” the founder of an organization working to provide safe spaces for Black people to enjoy outdoor activities says.
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 26, 2023
“There's a lot of healing that we as a Black community must do.” https://t.co/pGFNa6gJQO
More from NBC BLK reporter Char Adams:
Taking this wilderness class seemed like a natural extension of my love of the outdoors, but my own isolation in the course made me wonder whether the old axiom was true to an extent. Was communing deeply with nature truly a “white thing?” I found that that couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only does Black culture boast a rich history with nature, Black people across the country are reclaiming the outdoors by forming their own communities of nature enthusiasts.
Groups like Vibe Tribe Adventures, Outdoorsy Black Women and the National Brotherhood of Skiers are just a few of the many organizations working to provide safe spaces for Black people to enjoy outdoor activities and dispel myths that the outdoors doesn’t belong to us. Many of these groups are holding hikes and other outdoors activities in honor of Juneteenth.
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OK, but what myths, though? Are there myths that black people can't or shouldn't enjoy being in the outdoors?
This sense of community is common when it comes to Black outdoors enthusiasts. Toyin Ajayi launched Outdoorsy Black Women in 2021 in Atlanta because she was looking “for a space for Black women like me.” Ajayi, who lives in an RV, has loved being out in nature since she was a child, frequenting butterfly gardens and flower fields. Ajayi said the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot all bolstered conversations about safe spaces for Black people.
“There were a lot of Black people looking for safe spaces to go camping and just experience the outdoors. People would go to campgrounds, and there would be Trump flags flying everywhere,”Ajayi said, citing the many mental health benefits of being outdoors, like alleviating depression and stress. People around her wanted to know where they could safely go camping without being harassed or discriminated against. “I wanted to build a safe space for that. I figured if I needed a space like that, there were other Black women who probably needed that space too.”
Wait, so now black people need to feel safe in the outdoors because of January 6? Huh?
This seems weird, guys. The whole thing.
✍️uh✍️oh✍️ pic.twitter.com/2Us4dJVKSh
— The List (@ListComesForAll) July 26, 2023
Definitely highly List-able.
The word trauma is severely overused
— Yasmine Mohammed 🦋 ياسمين محمد (@YasMohammedxx) July 26, 2023
Not everything has to be a thing, you know?
I like the part of this story where a little white boy innocently asking a question and trying to be helpful or an older white man enthusiastic about the author’s stated aim of black people spending time in Nature are both proof positive of the incredible evil of white peoples https://t.co/ltIzT9LTNE pic.twitter.com/BuMBy4A8xK
— ib (@Indian_Bronson) July 26, 2023
The combination of upper-class left-wing neuroticism and fake race/gender grievance is truly unbearable- it brings us headlines like "It's Summer: Is It All Right to Leave the House?" https://t.co/f2VvgXImI3
— Wilfred Reilly (@wil_da_beast630) July 26, 2023
Does a week go by without an article from a once reputable news organization suggesting minorities live in an endless M. Night Shyamalan movie where our entire lives are spent hiding from this or that? https://t.co/ctJk38HPu2
— Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) July 26, 2023
No.
The outdoors is racist. https://t.co/VlhMVqJYnD
— Marina Medvin 🇺🇸 (@MarinaMedvin) July 26, 2023
Who knew?
Anyway:
Hopefully one day when black people are allowed to vote things will change. They should be able to play outside just like everyone else.
— 🫃🏼💉🇺🇦Hollaria Briden, Esq. & Ally (@HollyBriden) July 26, 2023
Fingers crossed!
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