As part of our inaugural BLK Joy Outdoors Week, we will hold a panel on The Impact of Black Representation in the Outdoors.
Unlike our usual events, this panel is not limited to Black people; anyone may attend. There is no cost to attend the panel.
Panelists:
Ranita (she/her) is a speech-language pathologist who has a background working with neurodiverse children. She is passionate about literacy development and diverse representation in children's literature. She is taking her passion for the outdoors and knowledge of child development to create inclusive, outdoor learning experiences that center diverse children’s books. Ranita aims to support schools, families, and communities in connecting land stewardship, outdoor exploration, and STEAM to empower children and foster lifelong learning.
Marqiece (he/him) is the President of the Raleigh-Durham Chapter of BLK Hiking Club. During the pandemic, he picked up hiking while living in San Antonio, Texas. The racial isolation he experienced from rarely seeing other Black hikers in Texas led to him joining the BLK Hiking Club in Atlanta, Georgia, and eventually founding the Raleigh-Durham Chapter after moving to North Carolina in 2022. Marqiece is driven by a desire to connect Black people to the outdoors through hiking and inspire them to feel confident about engaging outdoors to contribute to their health and joy.
Ashley is Lead Educator with Bike Durham, who teaches bike safety, leads community rides, and empowers families through hands-on education. Ashley supports neighbors with repairs at the East Durham Cycle Center, hosts workshops, and creates inclusive cycling programs that build confidence, promote health, and strengthen the community through safe, joyful biking.