|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Welcome back to The Bend!
|
|
The Bend follows a simple rhythm each week. The Eddy Line opens with a one-line thought or
observation, something short enough to remember but worth thinking
about. What the Current Pulled Toward dives a
little deeper into where the previous week’s energy went, whether that’s
a project, a partnership, or a personal lesson learned. Signal Fire highlights a person, place, or initiative
that deserves some attention. And One Thought Worth
Sitting With closes things out with a brief reflection or quote
that will hopefully help guide you through whatever you may be dealing
with.
It’s part journal, part field note, and hopefully
something that makes you pause for a moment before diving back into the
current.
|
|
|
|
|
|
“Inclusion is the deliberate work of welcoming,
inviting, and
believing that every person
belongs.“
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What the Current Pulled Toward
|
This week the current pulled toward
inclusion.
I look at inclusion in
general as a responsibility and not just a concept or a conversation
starter (or ender, in some cases). With that in mind, I’ve never
personally felt unwelcome outdoors (even when I’m failing miserably at
an activity like the picture of me friction climbing here), and that in
itself is a privilege I don’t take lightly. The more time I spend in
this field, the more aware I become of how many people have felt that
way and how often the outdoors has signaled “not for you” in ways big
and small, whether it’s intentional or not.
Inclusion is one of Oxbow’s core tenets and it shapes the
way I approach every project.
That
focus deepened a couple of weeks ago when I listened to Earl Hunter,
Jr., Founder and President of The Unity Folks, deliver a keynote that
really resonated not just with me but with an entire room full of parks
and recreation professionals. Aside from being super engaging and
charismatic, he offered a deep and important message. He spoke about the
critical difference between simply introducing people of color to the
outdoors and actually changing the narrative around who belongs there.
It’s not enough to say “come on out” if the culture, the history, and
the faces around the table tell a different story. Earl talked about the
need to make outdoor spaces welcoming, inviting, and safe and not in a
performative way, but in a way that shifts the experience entirely. His
words continue to sit with me.
As I
move through my work, I lead with the notion that inclusion takes more
than intention. It takes listening. It takes questioning old
assumptions. It takes designing spaces and relationships that widen the
circle rather than reinforce the same boundaries we’ve inherited. It
also takes humility and acknowledging where we’ve fallen short and being
willing to do better, one decision at a time.
- Mike.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Unity Folks (formerly Black
Folks Camp Too) has rebranded to broaden their mission and reach while
holding fast to the core commitment: “inviting and welcoming more folks
to the outdoors.”
Their work reminds
us that access to nature, recreation, and community isn’t universal by
default - sometimes it must be built intentionally. Through education,
outreach, and partnerships, they’re working to dismantle barriers and
make outdoor spaces inviting for people who, historically, haven’t
always been or felt welcomed.
I’m
inspired because inclusion is more than a buzzword with them, it’s a
practiced value that’s embedded in who they are and what they
do.
If we want the outdoors and
community spaces to reflect everyone, organizations like The Unity Folks
teach us how to start: by inviting first, then listening, and always
expecting change.
You can learn more
about The Unity Folks
here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
One Thought Worth Sitting With
|
|
This week’s theme: Inclusion.
“Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is
being asked to dance.”
-
Vernā
Myers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Let’s Go to Germany and Austria!
|
|
This time next year, Oxbow is heading overseas, and
you’re invited. We’re partnering with
EF Adventures for a guided
multi-adventure journey
through Germany and Austria, exploring Bavaria, Tyrol, and Salzburg
by foot, bike, paddle, and rail.
It’s part cultural immersion and part active escape,
with alpine trails, lakeside yoga, village cafés, and the kind of views
that make you forget your phone exists. This isn’t a tour bus vacation;
it’s a chance to travel intentionally, move through landscapes at a
human pace, and connect with a group that values
curiosity
as much as comfort.
If you’ve ever wanted to explore Europe beyond the
postcards, this is your moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Follow Oxbow on Social Media
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
