The Joy Trip Project
The Joy Trip Project was founded in 2009 as a reporting organization to cover the intersection of active lifestyles, environmental issues, and cultural perspectives. Since our inception, we have endeavored to connect our readers to the deep historical context of our collective American experience. Today we build those connections through events, podcasts, books, stories, and projects around the United States. We hope you’ll JOIN US.
The Joy Trip Project is an ongoing search to find the answers and discover how to lead a harmonious life in balance with the natural world and the rest of humanity. We have worked on a wide array of projects, from documenting the journey of the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree to a podcast series, The Unhidden Minute, celebrating Black American History. You can also find us speaking up on behalf of conservation and recreation, with recent efforts including lobbing for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
About James Edward Mills
James Edward Mills is a a freelance journalist, independent media producer, and National Geographic Explorer specializing in stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving, and practices of sustainable living. He has worked in the outdoor industry since 1989 as a guide, outfitter, independent sales representative, writer, and photographer. He is the author of the new book “The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors” and the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film “An American Ascent”.
In 2020 James’s book The Adventure Gap was named by Outside Magazine as one of the 10 “Outdoor Books that Shaped the Last Decade”. His next project is titled Unhidden: Forgotten Black History Interpreted by the National Park Service, an illustrated tour through America’s historic sites and monuments, highlighting the role that people of color have always played in the formation of the United States.
With skills in audio storytelling, James’ radio production credits include Wisconsin Public Radio, the Public Radio Exchange, American Public Media’s Marketplace, and the Public Radio International programs To The Best of Our Knowledge and The Tavis Smiley Show. In recognition for his work in sharing the important history and legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers and their efforts at the dawn of the National Park Service James was named a Yosemite National Park Centennial Ambassador in 2016.
As a faculty assistant at the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute For Environmental Studies, James teaches a summer course for undergraduate students on diversity, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation and public land management called Outdoors For All. James is also a contributor to several outdoor-focused print and online publications such as National Geographic, Outside, Rock & Ice, Alpinist, SUP, Elevation Outdoors, Women’s Adventure, the Clymb, Park Advocate, High Country News, Appalachia Journal, The Guardian, The New York Times, Sierra and Land & People. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife and two lovable dogs, Sasha and Mikalea.
Book a Speaking Engagement
James is available for speaking engagements through Authors Unbound.
James Edward Mills is a 2014 Fellow of the Mountain & Wilderness Writing Program of the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada and the 2016 recipient of the Paul K. Petzoldt Award For Environmental Education. As a freelance journalist and an independent media producer in a career that spans more than 20 years, he specializes in sharing stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving and practices of sustainable living.
Meet the Joy Trip Project Team
Strategy Lead & Creative Producer
Audrey is an award-winning filmmaker, interviewer, and strategist who builds powerful bridges between art, storytelling, and social impact. With time spent at National Geographic, The Walt Disney Company, Nike and National Public Radio, she is the founder of THE WOODS, where she creates transformative experiences and explores narratives that amplify diverse voices, inspire connection, and spark collective change.
Editor
Natasha is a writer, adventurer, and mental health advocate who transforms raw life experience into stories of resilience, healing, and human connection. A former Silicon Valley analyst turned full-time creative, she now blends outdoor exploration with emotional truth using her platform, DIRTandTEARS.com, to inspire growth, courage, and compassion through the written word.
Project Coordinator
Dru is a creative consultant, brand photographer, and virtual COO who transforms visionary ideas into organized, scalable, and soul-aligned businesses. Blending artistry with strategy, she builds the systems, visuals, and structure that help entrepreneurs move from creative chaos to clarity, impact, and sustainable growth.
Podcast Producer
Yves is a writer, storyteller, and podcast producer whose work weaves together Black history, folklore, and the pursuit of liberation. With words published in The New York Times and productions for iHeartRadio, Hulu, Afropunk, and Wondery, she brings depth, creativity, and cultural insight to every story she tells.
Photographer
Kris is a New York and California-based artist and publisher whose conceptual and documentary photography reveals how power, capitalism, and race shape everyday life. Through global exhibitions and inclusion in major museum collections such as MoMA, the Getty, and the Whitney, Graves uses art to preserve memory, spark dialogue, and elevate the visibility of people of color in fine art.
Illustrator
Nate is a freelance artist based in the Pacific Northwest whose lifelong love of comics, fantasy, and tabletop games inspires his portraits, illustrations, and storytelling art. His work includes collaborations with authors such as Patrick Rothfuss, Terry Brooks, John Scalzi, and Shawn Speakman, as well as artwork for games like Tak, Pairs, and Lords of Vegas.