Caziah Franklin: Go for the Representation
Every time I go climbing, hiking, biking, or camping, I always get asked the same plethora of questions: “Why do you do this?”, “How do you build the courage?”, “What is your goal in doing these activities?”, “When did you even start doing these things?”, and the list goes on and on. But, my answer every time is quite simple. “I aspire to be the example that I never had. My goal is to break the false narrative that the outdoors is only for one specific subgroup of people. My goal is to create belonging within diversity, and I go for the representation.
It’s fair to state that there aren’t many black people or people of color, in general, participating in the outdoors. However, the honest truth is that we really want to be; the vast majority of us just feel unwelcomed and uninvited. We feel as if there is some sort of invisible force hindering our body, soul, and spirit from experiencing all that the outdoors has to offer. Unfortunately, this unseen barricade isn’t a modern construct. There is historical evidence that explains why there aren't a lot of black people, and people of color, getting outside, and it’s because systematically, we weren't allowed to be.
Most don’t know that prior to the Civil Rights Act, the Black community was not allowed to step foot into the majority of public recreational sites including national forests, state, and national parks. And even after the act was passed, racism and oppression were the deterrents that kept the Black community at bay from being immersed in the outdoors, and the resources needed along with education were denied from us. That’s why it was really rare to see people of color camping, or even hiking. However, the adventurous spirit has always played a huge role within the Black community, dating all the way back to my early ancestors that had the ability to tend the Earth’s soil. They kept the nation's croplands alive with their bare hands and used the night stars to guide their way north to freedom. Black cowboys built the American West with their skilled knowledge of cattle ranching, climatology, and agriculture. Today, the same ‘vagabond spirit’ that most adventurists aspire to bestow was ultimately forged by the early black community, and that same very spirit is what prompted within me the eagerness to get outside. I longed to connect deeper with my roots and where I come from; to be the cowboy I was always meant to be.
Unfortunately, eagerness was not immediately accompanied by action. Although I felt a strong desire to immerse myself in the outdoors, I had no idea where to plant my first steps. I had no one to look up to and no examples as to where to even begin. This metamorphosis took a lot of humility for me. I had to quickly learn to be comfortable in knowing that I might be the only black person I see out at my local outfitter, crag, or campsite, and that’s okay. I had to learn that the progression of diversity isn’t supposed to be a speedy process, but is one that is handled with care, love, and proper attention. I had to learn how to be the example I never had, and in doing so, I quickly realized that I wasn’t doing any of these outdoor activities for myself. My desire now is to encourage and inspire those that look like me.
To this very day, I continue to go for the representation; for diversity, inclusion, and belonging. I go to spread the message that the outdoors is for all, and for all to enjoy. To be an example for my children and my children’s children. I go to inspire my community and to show that there is nothing that we can’t do.
