On self-care
Written by Ava
March 16, 2016
This week both Aparna and I are engaging in some self-care. Aparna’s was planned - she is out in canyon country with her family, enjoying a few days away from the computer before we hop back into a whirlwind of travel and work. I am taking some less-than-planned self care…
Changing Mindsets With Mad Facilitation Skills
Written by Aparna
March 3, 2016
I teach at Montana State University's Department of Education, which educates the next generation of teachers. But what I've found is that teacher education programs don't really teach teachers how to facilitate--they teach them how to teach. Teaching and facilitation are two very different things, and in our work, facilitation…
The real story behind the Yosemite trademarks
Written by Ava
February 18, 2016
On March 1, 2016, in the wake of Delaware North’s exploitation of trademark laws, many of the iconic places in Yosemite National Park—including Curry Village, the Ahwahnee Hotel, the Wawona Hotel, the Yosemite Lodge, and Badger Pass Ski Area—will be renamed. There are (understandably) many people and organizations who are…
Why engage in equity, diversity, and inclusion?
Written by Aparna
February 3, 2016
Most organizations that reach out to us what to know how to proceed with equity, diversity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts. They are hungry for best practices, toolkits, checklists, and training on how to tackle the elephant that is DEI ("How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.")…
What can outdoor and environmental organizations learn about inclusion from MLK’s experience?
Written by Ava
January 21, 2016
Photo above: Martin Luther King, Jr. marching from Selma to Montgomery with John Lewis, Reverend Jesse Douglas, James Forman and Ralph Abernathy. I had a very different idea about what I was going to write about this week to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; I was about halfway through…
What Does Cultural Relevancy Mean Anyway?
Written by Aparna
January 7, 2016
This post is dedicated to Vu Le at Nonprofit With Balls, whose bold nuggets of gold we can only aspire to produce, and who has inspired us to fearlessly “go there.” Disclaimer: For those of you engaging in cultural relevancy work without a working definition, this blog post is intended…
How to Give When You’re a Nonprofit . . . With No Money to Give
Written by Ava
December 21, 2015
Recently Latino Outdoors’ founder José Gonzales shared his passion for collective impact at the Outdoors Empowered Network summit. Collective impact is a model by which deeply entrenched societal problems are tackled through innovative collaborations across nongovernmental organizations, agencies, private enterprise, foundations, communities, and other stakeholders. Though not without its flaws,…
Tackling the Blob: Getting started on equity, inclusion, & diversity work
Written by Ava
December 9, 2015
NOTE: If this post leaves you hungry for more information, join us on January 21st for this free webinar, hosted by Transforming Youth Outdoors. Embarking on equity, inclusion and diversity work can feel like you’re tackling a shape shifting, amorphous giant while simultaneously trying to swim a mile in maple…