Ohio Archives - Page 2 of 3 - National Parks With T

Diverse NPS►

Because of growing civil unrest , I joined a coalition of fellow park enthusiasts. Our group brainstormed ideas about how we could use our combined platforms to help. We’ve previously written about the barriers many BIPOC communities face when it comes to outdoor recreation. Statistics show that Black Americans make up only 7% of national park visitors (some studies show that it’s as low as 1%) while making up 13% of the U.S. population.

Each month, our group intends to spotlight a relevant organization. These organizations are working to bridge the gap between outdoor spaces and underrepresented communities. Past features include:

We’re featuring Syatt (“See You At the Top”) during the month of February. Learn more about them below and please consider making a donation to support their ongoing efforts to make the outdoors more inclusive.

About Syatt►

Marcia Hood, together with her daughters Erika and Ebony, comprise Team Hood. Team Hood founded Syatt with the mission to increase access to outdoor spaces for Black and Brown youth. Simultaneously, they are creating and inspiring joy in places that haven’t traditionally been safe or welcoming to people of color.

Team Hood started the non-profit organization in 2009 with a desire to expose BIPOC youth to challenging skilled sports. To accomplish this goal, Syatt organizes year round outdoor programming for youth and adults, the U-Matter study abroad and leadership program, and Get Black Outside excursions.

Syatt helped found the Get Black Outside coalition and they were featured in USA today last year for their decade-long work towards closing the nature gap. The photos included here are courtesy of Erika Hood, co-founder of Syatt.