Traditionally, People of Color, particularly African-Americans, have avoided many of the pleasures of “The Great American Outdoors.” Evidence shows that white populations disproportionately access public lands for outdoor recreation. According to the most recent National Park Service Comprehensive Survey of the American Public, published in 2011, only about one in five visitors to a national park site is nonwhite, and only about one in 10 is Hispanic.

Some of the many reasons for this include: the legacy of slavery fueling a negative association with rural or wooded areas, the remnants of Jim Crow era restrictions making some park lands inaccessible by law to African-Americans and other People of Color, and the perception of some immigrants that, “you are considered poor if you live or stay somewhere without brick walls.”

Join us as we explore opportunities for families to learn about fishing, camping, backpacking, climbing, and skiing from organizations specifically formed to introduce People of Color to the outdoors, in addition to learning about career paths in “The Great American Outdoors.”

This series deals with race in Oregon, both historically and up to the present time, to provide learning experiences that support the development of racial identity and sensitivity.

Each month, Kennedy School hosts a presentation on a different topic of ethnicity and racial elements in Oregon history, given by educators and/or experts in the topic at hand. The aim is to provide educational and learning experiences that support the development of intercultural sensitivity and racial identity.

This event is eligible for a History Pub Stamp