2064699
home,paged,page-template,page-template-blog-compound,page-template-blog-compound-php,page,page-id-2064699,page-parent,paged-4,page-paged-4,bridge-core-3.1.2,,qode-content-sidebar-responsive,qode-theme-ver-30.1,qode-theme-bridge,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-7.1,vc_responsive

The Joy Trip Project

#BlackLivesMatter, Appalachian Trail, Black Lives Matter, Continental Divide Trail, Diversity, Hiking, Interview, Outdoor Recreation, Outdoor Retailer, Pacific Crest Trail, Walking / 26.06.2023

Having served in the United States Army through the Iraq War, Will “Akuna” Robinson suffered from severe bodily injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. When he returned home in 2003 after a tour of duty in Al Asda near the Syrian border, he found civilian life challenging and was full of despair. As he struggled through physical and occupational therapy, trying to manage chronic pain, he self-medicated with drugs and alcohol to make it through each day. Thankfully, he found support where he was raised in Southeastern Louisiana near...

Black History, Commentary, Juneteenth, Outdoors For All, Uncategorized, Unhidden / 19.06.2023

On the new federal holiday of Juneteenth, we celebrate the end of slavery in the United States and the emancipation of every citizen. This marks the third week of my month-long summer course, Outdoors For All at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. We’re half-way through. As I remind my students, this is not a “Black” holiday. Today we acknowledge that everyone has the inalienable rights of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Taught at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies this class explores the disparities of access to...

Books, National Parks, Short Story, The Joy Trip Reading Project / 23.05.2023

On Thursday May 18th, 2023, at 5PM Central Time the Joy Trip Reading Project hosted an online discussion with Dave and Ilyssa Kyu, editors of "Campfire Stories Vol. II. Inspired by America’s beloved national parks, Campfire Stories Volume II is a collection of modern prose, poetry, and folklore, featuring commissioned, new, and existing works from a diverse group of writers who share a deep appreciation of the natural world. While the original Campfire Stories captured many historic tales reflecting the first 100 years of the National Park Service,...

Uncategorized / 15.05.2023

I believe that I am most myself when I am hiking. It is in the act of walking along a wooded trail or a well-worn path that I feel grounded in my own body. I am connected to the Earth with the passage of each step. As I move my arms and legs, I draw in clear clean air with every breath through my lungs. With a heavy sigh I exhale and release the tension of life and find an overwhelming sense of calm. Outdoors among the trees...

#BlackLivesMatter, Diversity, Magazines, Photography, The Big Gear Show / 09.05.2023

Without apology or explanation, there is a growing number of professionals, once on the margins of creative expression in the outdoor industry, who are changing the face of adventure. In spaces once predominated by white athletes and media producers, we are now seeing the emergence of talented artists and creatives that identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of color. Now as their stories are beginning to take center stage, the industry can better address the cultural interests of a much more diverse audience. Today these creatives of color...

Black Lives Matter, Books, Diversity, The Joy Trip Reading Project, Urban Agriculture / 28.04.2023

On Thursday April 27, 2023, at 5PM Central Time The Joy Trip Reading Project was honored to host an online discussion with Leah Penniman, author of "Black Earth Wisdom ~ Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists" Leah is a Black Kreyol farmer, mother, soil nerd, author, and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, NY. She co-founded Soul Fire Farm in 2010 with the mission to end racism in the food system and reclaim our ancestral connection to land. As Co-ED and Farm Director, Leah is part of a...