We鈥檙e picking companies every month that have impressed us with their recent business savvy鈥攚hether through a new product release, a canny marketing move, a grabby social-media post, social and environmental issues or something else entirely that we didn鈥檛 see coming. The goal: to celebrate the forward thinkers, outside-the-box strategists, and generally awesome professionals moving the outdoor industry forward.

So, with a pencils-on-desk drumroll, here are September鈥檚 picks.

Winner: Patagonia

Patagonia founder and owner Yvon Chouinard made international headlines in September when he announced that he was giving away his $3 billion company to help protect the environment. Chouinard and his family have placed control of the company鈥檚 direction into a trust and created a new 501(c)(4) nonprofit that will receive all profits not reinvested in the business and spend them on environmental causes. That charitable sum is estimated to reach $100 million a year.

In establishing the new corporate structure, Chouinard and his family have ensured that Patagonia鈥檚 mission of being in business to 鈥渟ave our home planet鈥� continues for generations to come.

Runner-Up: REI with Outdoor Afro Inc.

Last month, REI and Outdoor Afro Inc. launched a co-created line of outdoor clothing designed to 鈥渃elebrate the nature in all of us.鈥� The Outdoor Afro Inc. + REI Co-op Hike Collection features clothing and footwear in sizes, colors, and graphics that celebrate and encourage everyone to enjoy the outdoors comfortably and stylishly.

鈥淏lack people have always spent time outside across a variety of activities, but the community has always felt a gap in finding gear that fits, functions well, feels good, and represents their personal style,鈥� said Rue Mapp, the founder of Outdoor Afro Inc., a for-profit group that collaborates with companies on design, marketing, and sales. 鈥淩EI was the right partner to listen deeply and help us create a collection that would start to meet those needs.鈥�

Mapp began the nonprofit Outdoor Afro (distinct from Outdoor Afro Inc.) in 2010 to encourage all people to get outside and enjoy nature. As part of her new joint venture with REI, Mapp unveiled Outdoor Afro Inc., which is now working to design and bring to market a variety of outdoor gear aimed at making the industry more inclusive.

Runner-Up: The North Face

The North Face also announced last month that, from now on, it鈥檚 calling all of its fleece products High Pile Fleece and discontinuing the name 鈥淪herpa鈥� in its designs.

鈥淔or decades, The North Face and the broader textile and fashion industries have used the term Sherpa to describe fleece material,鈥� The North Face said in a statement. 鈥淏ut Sherpa is not an adjective; it is a term used to describe the Sherpa people鈥攁 group with a rich cultural heritage and an integral role in the world of mountaineering.鈥�

The former Sherpa name referred to the thick fleece that resembled the wool outers commonly worn by members of the Sherpa community, famous for their heroic mountaineering deeds in summiting (and helping others summit) Mount Everest and the planet鈥檚 other highest peaks.

While the use of the term was intended as a respectful nod to the Sherpa culture and its contributions to mountaineering, The North Face said it recognizes that many of its customers remain unaware of who the Sherpa people are and of their contributions and sacrifices to exploration. Alongside the name change, The North Face is also launching a campaign designed to celebrate and educate its customer base about the Sherpa culture and highlight the accomplishments of the Sherpa community, including The North Face athlete team member Dawa Sherpa.

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REI and the California-based organization Outdoor Afro Inc. have collaborated on a new line of technical apparel designed to address gaps in the outdoor market and make gear more inclusive for all customers, both groups announced this week. The co-branded line has been in the works for two years.

鈥淣ature has been, and will continue to be, a place where Black people seek connection and respite,鈥� said , founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro Inc., a for-profit group that collaborates with companies on design, marketing, and sales efforts. The organization is distinct from the nonprofit Outdoor Afro, also founded by Mapp, which oversees a national network of volunteers in 60 cities to promote outdoor education, recreation, and conservation.

鈥淏lack people have always spent time outside across a variety of activities, but the community has always felt a gap in finding gear that fits, functions well, feels good, and represents their personal style,鈥� Mapp said. 鈥淩EI was the right partner to listen deeply and help us create a collection that would start to meet those needs.鈥�

In an posted to its website yesterday, REI wrote that building the line meant 鈥渃onsidering the range of Black body shapes that the clothes will fit and respecting the culture鈥檚 interpretations of nature. It [meant] exploring a broader range of fit modeling, bold, celebratory colors, and materials that work with textured hairstyles.鈥� The initial 22-piece collection includes leggings, fleeces, shells, and boots designed with input from Mapp and others at Outdoor Afro Inc. about color, style, and function.

鈥淭his collaboration with Outdoor Afro Inc. was not optional for us,鈥� said Maureen Estep, REI deputy vice president of strategic brand partnerships. 鈥淭his was not a question of 鈥楽hould we?鈥� It was 鈥楬ow soon can we?鈥� It was a commitment to lean into a partnership through an inclusive approach, and it changed us. We turned on a truly inclusive design process. It defined how we worked and who we brought into the work.鈥�

The collection uses technical lightweight and stretch materials that promote breathability and are easy to care for. REI wrote on its website that 鈥渢he line is a mashup of iconic 鈥�80s and 鈥�90s silhouettes coupled with modern details inspired by the Black community: a play on throwback jackets, a riff on parachute pants, and items printed with a Black folks would gather for rest and fellowship.鈥�

Mapp emphasized that, though the collection was designed with the Black community in mind, 鈥渋t also solves universal needs. We’re creating a better outdoor product for everyone.鈥�

To support the collection launch, Outdoor Afro Inc. and REI are debuting a new marketing campaign, .

鈥淲hat I realized is that everyone wanted access to the Black market from a diversity, equity, and inclusion point of view,鈥� Mapp said in summing up the effort, 鈥渂ut no one was truly creating accessible and stylish options that actually accommodated our body shapes. This fashion line is us,鈥� she added. 鈥淲e are also nature.鈥�

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In a video posted to her Instagram Story this weekend, New York 14th Congressional District Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez divulged a tidbit about her personal life that has drawn excitement and attention around the outdoor industry in recent days.

The congresswoman is, apparently, an avid backpacker.

In her video, which shows Ocasio-Cortez toting an Osprey backpack on a sunny trail in New York, the congresswoman says that she takes time off and cares for herself by getting into the woods, a hobby she picked up after the storming of the U.S. capitol by rioters in January.

“After the insurrection, I felt like I really needed a practice to help ground me,” Ocasio-Cortez said in the video. “It was getting a lot harder for me to settle my mind in the immediate aftermath.”

She went on to shout out some well-known advocacy groups in the industry鈥攐rganizations that followers submitted as responses to the congresswoman’s posted question, “Favorite women, poc, lgbt+, LNT, conservation, etc camping accounts?”

Tagged with the response “Lots of recs here! Thanks, I’ll check them out and learn more,” Ocasio-Cortez promoted to her followers the groups and individuals Unlikely Hikers, Pattie Gonia, Indigenous Women Who Hike, and Outdoor Afro, among others.

Unlikely Hikers reposted the congresswoman’s Instagram Story to its main feed, commenting, “I鈥檝e got so much gratitude for this shout out in @aoc鈥檚 stories, along with all of my faves, and I鈥檓 thrilled to see her find peace and grounding in nature.”

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When I hear about outdoor diversity campaigns, my knee-jerk, gut reaction is fear.

The issue isn鈥檛 the newcomers. As someone who makes her living writing about the outdoors and sharing it with new audiences, I want to see our numbers grow.

The issue is that I have an environmental science degree. I鈥檝e spent seasons doing biological field research. I鈥檝e edited a Leave No Trace column for Backpacker, a magazine that sells solitude on every other cover. I鈥檝e been trained to value staying on trail, keeping group sizes small and respectful (as per Leave No Trace鈥檚 recommendation), and limiting impact.

When I read about diversity in the outdoors, I seem to hear that new groups are getting outside, but often in different ways鈥攂ig group hikes, Quincea帽era celebrations, or family reunions, for example.

On their own, I love those things. But聽over 300 million people visit national parks each year鈥攄ouble the number from 60 years ago, when most infrastructure was last updated.

Environmentalism Gone Wrong

Many environmentalists share my fears of rising impact. But a growing number of reports indicate that, if left unchecked, that personal nervousness can manifest as something far nastier: xenophobia and racism, masked by a self-proclaimed dedication to Leave No Trace ethics.

In reporting this story, I heard plenty of examples of so-called 鈥淟NT policing鈥�: A Latino family told to stop talking at a campground. A family of Luise帽o Indians shamed by passersby for their annual, traditional harvest of poppies during the California superbloom. A group of black hikers chewed out by a white woman, who claimed the dried bamboo and palm fronds the group had brought for their children to play with might be invasive species. And, of course, plenty of white hikers shaming other white folks for stepping off-trail.

鈥淧eople feel unjustly entitled,鈥� said Nadia Mercado, an Osprey hiking athlete and outdoor diversity advocate of Dominican descent, of many longtime outdoorists. 鈥淭hey forget the land is public.鈥� That mix of entitlement and fear for the environment can leave veteran hikers extra-sensitive to new groups of people on trails, especially those using the outdoors in ways white hikers might be unaccustomed to.

The more I learned about these instances and ingrained biases, the more I started to ask myself an uncomfortable question: Am I afraid to share the places that I love?

But What About the Environment?

鈥淭here鈥檚 a perception, particularly in the white hiker community, that there鈥檚 a specific way to behave on-trail,鈥� said Jackie Ostfield, director of the Sierra Club鈥檚 Outdoors For All program. That perception traces back to the fanatical reverence for self-reliance and solitude espoused by 19th-century conservation icons like John Muir, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau. 鈥淕oing into wilderness for solitude is fine,鈥� said Ostfield. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 also fine to have a community experience.鈥�

Those transcendentalist values appear in the scientific community as well. A common tenant of Western ecological theory is that, in order to be protected, conservation lands must be restored to their pre-settled state. (That鈥檚 one reason indigenous communities were forcibly removed from early national parks, like Yosemite.) But in many cases, turning the land into a museum isn鈥檛 practical, or even necessary.

鈥淣ative people have been managing land sustainably for a long time,鈥� said Lydia Jennings, a PhD candidate in soil microbiology with a concentration in American Indian policy. She argues that, for centuries, scattered bands of human beings have been part of a place鈥檚 native fauna.

Leave No Trace executive director Dana Watts agrees. She says LNT derives its guidelines from scientific research and input from land management agencies. She acknowledges that the organization could do more to loop in indigenous land stewards as well as people of color, and emphasizes that LNT guidelines are just guidelines. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nuance to everything,鈥� she said. That includes geotagging, plant harvesting, group size, and off-trail hiking.

The takeaway: you can love the outdoors and want to enjoy it with groups of people.

The Real Meaning of LNT

It鈥檚 easy to point fingers at the hikers around us, but there鈥檚 another, bigger culprit for the degradation of public land: lack of government funding.

The only way to change that is to vote for it, and people only vote for the things they love, says Outdoor Afro Founder Rue Mapp. 鈥淲e have to put our hands on the land,鈥� she explained. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what instills an environmental or conservation ethic.鈥�

Outdoor Afro is a good example. What started as a recreational hiking group has since become a nationwide network of outdoor leaders who have begun leveraging their numbers to enact political change. In 2019, Outdoor Afro dispatched 20 of its leaders to lobby with local congressional representatives, which helped bring about the reauthorizing of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Outdoor Afro demonstrates that new groups of hikers aren鈥檛 the problem: They鈥檙e a force for change. American public lands are under threat, but I鈥檓 starting to realize that the solution, ironically, isn鈥檛 to shut the gates. It鈥檚 to open them a little wider.

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Just when the outdoor recreation industry seemed to be making serious progress on the complex issues of racial diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the best efforts of a leading advocacy organization were stopped dead in their tracks. Despite its good intentions the initiative created by Camber Outdoors called the CEO Outdoor Equity Pledge ironically failed from the moment it was formally introduced by neglecting the very thing it was designed to do: bring people together.

Described as the 鈥渇irst of its kind,鈥� the Equity Pledge was meant to obligate the commitment of senior executives at more than 60 outdoor industry companies to address the interests of under-represented minorities as part of doing business. But the spirit of the document ignored the work begun by grassroots activists within the same communities the outdoor industry now aims to reach. Not only did Camber fail to ask people of color (POC) for assistance with the creation of its program, it co-opted the previous work of activist Teresa Baker, similarly titled the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge.

With virtually no direct engagement of the many outdoor-facing affinity groups, whose members include people across a broad spectrum of racial and cultural identities, Camber made a critical error that resulted in a lot of hurt feelings, professional embarrassment, and鈥攗ltimately鈥攖he resignation of its executive director Deanne Buck.

The Racially Charged Nature of the Topic Makes Companies Nervous to Commit to Action

Now that a bit of the dust has settled from the swirl of controversy a month ago, it鈥檚 possible to take a look around the cultural landscape of the outdoor industry and see where we might go from here.

A lot of angry rhetoric on social media and calls for Buck to step down sent ripples of genuine fear throughout the business community. Intimidated by the emotional sensitivity of this very complex issue, several outdoor industry companies have become skittish to start communicating with both employees and customers on DEI for fear of making a blunder. Many are afraid that they, too, might make an inadvertent mistake and suffer the same fate鈥攑ublic outcry and backlash鈥� as Camber.

One marketing manager of a major outdoor brand, who asked not to be named for this story, expressed profound reservations to even discuss it. 鈥淲e feel we have not made enough headway or tangible progress to be credible in the conversation,鈥� the manager said.

As Camber Outdoors continues to advocate for equitable workplaces under the direction of interim executive director Diana Seung, the Equity Pledge is still in effect. At the same time, Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge is growing鈥攖here are currently 34 signatories (11 have signed in the last month).

Many in the industry want to take direct action and work toward substantive compliance with whichever of the two pledges they have signed. Most, however, aren鈥檛 exactly sure how to proceed.

But rather than looking back over the events of the past month to discover what went wrong, those who are dedicated to moving DEI efforts forward hope to create and practice more effective ways to bring the industry together toward a common goal, an outdoor recreation community where everyone is welcome to participate.

鈥淚 want unity more than anything. I want to do away with this 鈥榯hat-side-verses-this-side鈥� conversation,鈥� said Baker. 鈥淲hat I want is for us to understand that we all care about these outdoor spaces and as such I think the more people at the table around the conversation on the protection of these outdoor spaces the better.鈥�

The Two Diversity Pledges Are Different, but Similar, and Can Co-exist

In principle, the two pledges have a great deal in common, but they鈥檙e also slightly different. Camber鈥檚 Equity Pledge emphasizes the priorities of professional organizations who tend to resist external regulation, Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge encourages direct engagement with the POC community and suggests a more transparent holistic approach.

Neither document contradicts the other. Therefore, it鈥檚 possible that both could exist in tandem as guiding practices for companies to employ.

鈥淚n an ideal world we wouldn鈥檛 need any pledge,鈥� said Seung. 鈥淗owever, the reality is that every company is at a different stage in their DEI maturity. I love Teresa鈥檚 pledge because it鈥檚 all-encompassing and challenges CEOs and organizations to focus on DEI efforts across the workplace, marketing, participation, and more. However, signing up for all of that can be intimidating for some organizations. I celebrate those CEOs who have signed her pledge but recognize it鈥檚 not for everyone.

鈥淥ur CEO Outdoor Equity Pledge focuses primarily on the workplace, which for many CEOs is a great stepping stone from the gender equity focus we had before. I think both pledges need to exist so that we can get as many people invested in this work to have the conversations around equity in the outdoors.鈥�

A Path Forward to a More Inclusive Outdoor Industry

As the U.S. population grows through the 21st century, it will soon shift to favor a non-white majority. It is anticipated that by the year 2045 most American citizens and residents will be people of color. If outdoor recreation is going to remain culturally relevant as this change occurs, many believe that the outdoor industry must change with it. 鈥淭he way we do that is connecting these communities of color to these outdoor spaces,鈥� Baker said. 鈥淎nd I think the outdoor industry can play a huge role in that.鈥�

As the collective voice for many different businesses and institutions, the Outdoor Industry Association is the most likely professional group to actuate efforts to encourage DEI nationwide. Baker believes OIA can lead its member companies toward a professional environment that reflects the diversity of the population as a whole.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to apply pressure to OIA, but they have a lot of freaking power. They need to do something at this point to help us come together,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot fix it, because it鈥檚 not their job to fix it. But I think it鈥檚 their job to find a way to get us all talking.鈥�

Though traditionally focused on economic issues and regulations of the federal government, OIA has a vested interest in expanding the outdoor community to include more people of color, along with other under-represented segments of the population.

To date, OIA has left the job of workplace equity to Camber Outdoors and hopes to inspire its members to honor the principles of the Equity Pledge as well as Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge.

Gareth Martins, marketing manager at OIA, says all efforts to achieve DEI should be encouraged. 鈥淭here are no wrong answers on this journey. Any attempt to forge forward and start figuring this out is ultimately good for any brand,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut we can鈥檛 do this from a perspective of fear. I think it would be a good task for OIA to provide messaging and guidance for our member companies on why they should take this journey.鈥�

What Exactly Does Progress in DEI Look Like?

Organizations that support the interests of the outdoor POC community are eager to help. Danielle Williams is the founder of Melanin Base Camp, a social media network that encourages people of color to enjoy the natural world. Her website DiversifyOutdoors.com is the online home of Baker鈥檚 Diversity Pledge. With an eye toward changing the cultural landscape of the outdoor industry Williams has a clear vision of how the path of progress might be different. Throughout the outdoor industry she wants to see broader representation in professional settings.

鈥淧rogress looks like paying fat, queer, and POC talent and photographers industry rates. Progress looks like diversifying boards of directors and empowering black, brown and indigenous folks within outdoor organizations,鈥� she said. 鈥淧rogress is recruiting MBAs from HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) and changing your organizational culture to ensure your company is a place where diverse people and diverse ideas can thrive. Progress looks like refusing to work with ad agencies, PR firms and media production companies that do not reflect the diversity of your customers.鈥�

With this kind of input, Camber is getting a good idea of where its efforts need to improve. Seung said recent conversations around the industry have prompted her organization to recognize its complicity in the same problems it had hoped to correct.

鈥淲e needed to hear the criticism and feedback around how our approach ignored the voices, experiences, and contributions of people of color and communities who have not had a seat at the table,鈥� Seung said. 鈥淲e are moving forward and dedicated to doing the equity work required to help drive positive change with eyes wide open.鈥�

Working Together on DEI Is Critical: Everyone Has a Part to Play

But with much work still ahead, some suggest that the responsibility of diversifying the outdoor industry cannot fall exclusively upon a single institution. Lise Aangeenbrug is the executive director of the Outdoor Foundation (OF), OIA鈥檚 philanthropic wing. Charged with the mission engaging young people and their families to become stewards of the natural environment, she knows, like Camber, her organization can鈥檛 do the work of DEI alone.

鈥淭he industry needs to see this as a continuum of work that鈥檚 all related and fits together,鈥� Aangeenbrug said. 鈥淚 work on the side of getting kids and families outdoors and creating diversity, but in my mind that doesn’t work unless there’s also internships, recruiting, and marketing. The foundation cannot solve this problem. None of us can. What the foundation can do is work on a piece of it. But the industry really needs to embrace a much larger view of this.鈥�

One way OF is embracing its piece of the challenge is the Thrive 国产吃瓜黑料 pilot program, launching in at least four cities across the country later this summer. The initiative aims to support local networks of youth development agencies, schools, and outdoor adventure groups such as the YMCA or the Boys & Girls Club and provide repeatable experiences that can reinforce an interest in the outdoors that鈥檚 culturally relevant to that community. The Outdoor Foundation has received about $2 million contributed by OIA member companies to make this happen.

鈥淥ur plan is to scale up over time to 16 places where we make the investment. I think it’s important to note that we鈥檙e not doing the work. We’re fueling it with funding from the outdoor industry,鈥� Aangeenbrug said. 鈥淭his isn’t going to overnight-change the diversity of who goes outside, but it can bring attention and dollars to the issue. And really get communities to see the benefits of kids and families getting outside.鈥�

Direct engagement opportunities within under-represented communities can serve to raise awareness for the values of outdoor recreation. Over time, with the help of affinity groups like Outdoor Afro, Latino Outdoors, Brothers of Climbing, Unlikely Hikers, and others the outdoor industry can inspire a new generation of enthusiasts that reflect the changing face of the American public. By working through partners on the ground who have solid relationships with the communities they aim to reach, companies are also creating a diverse pool of potential job applicants POC job applicants, individuals with authentic experiences that may emerge from these groups.

The Changing Face of the Industry

Major players in the industry like The North Face are preparing to welcome this new demographic of employee candidates into their workforce. Reggie Miller, senior director of global inclusion and diversity at the VF Corporation says he looks forward to hiring from a different pool of job applicants in the future.

鈥淲e have publicly announced our commitment to achieving gender parity at the director level and above by 2030, and 25 percent representation for people of color in the U.S. by that same year. By reaching these goals, we will inevitably develop a workforce that looks more diverse than we do today,鈥� Miller said. 鈥淏ut again, we aren鈥檛 doing this for the optics; we鈥檙e doing it because our workforce should reflect the diversity of the global consumer populations we serve.鈥�

Though many companies are inspired to do the work of DEI, it鈥檚 never easy to know where to begin. Despite its size and market presence across the nation even a retailer like REI struggles to better represent the interests of its customers and employees.

鈥淧art of the inherent challenge in diversity efforts is that there鈥檚 no single 鈥榬ight way,鈥欌�� said Laura Swapp, REI鈥檚 director of experiences marketing. “But we can鈥檛 get stuck. Eventually you have to pick a path and move, knowing the path will always change.鈥�

Perhaps with a better understanding of how its efforts can more proactively serve under-represented communities in the outdoor industry, Camber, OIA, OF and other organizations can start designing programs and systems that are responsive to the ever changing landscape of our cultural reality.

But any journey begins by taking that first step. For some, signing one of the two CEO Equity/Diversity pledges is a good place start. By formally declaring a commitment to changing their business practices companies, they can steer themselves in the right direction, but moving this intention forward may require some professional help.

Angelou Ezeilo is the founder and CEO of the Greening Youth Foundation, a nonprofit that prepares young people of color for professional careers in federal bureaus of land management as well as private sector outdoor industry companies.

In order to avoid an embarrassing failure that might discourage or inhibit forward progress, she suggests starting slowly with manageable goals. Ezeilo recommends first making small internal changes, such as creating programs for cultural sensitivity training. With a working understanding of offensive behaviors or the potential for unintended micro-aggressions, companies can define an inclusive workplace.

Senior management has to model good professional etiquette as an example of the corporate culture from the top down. And whenever possible, veteran employees should act as mentors to help guide the careers of new hires from different backgrounds, so that they are not only made to feel welcome but given the tools and opportunities they need to be successful in the organization.

But this kind of institutional change will take a lot of time and effort. As a first step on the journey of DEI in the outdoor industry companies both large and small can begin by creating an environment where everyone is happy to come to work.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to start somewhere, so start quietly at first,鈥� Ezeilo said. 鈥淎uthentically do the work on this thing that you鈥檙e creating and make sure before you take it out to the public or to social media that you’ve got a majority of the major kinks worked out. Then grow it from there.鈥�

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If Outdoor Retailer Summer Market’s event lineup was any indication, the outdoor industry is putting diversity聽issues front and center.

From a lack of ethnic diversity in leadership positions and brand marketing to cultural appropriation of native designs and symbols, our industry has historically been so-so around issues of inclusion. The fact that there are so many panels, presentations, and discussions on the Outdoor Retailer schedule shows that the topic is finally coming to the forefront, but we鈥檙e not there yet.

鈥淲e are in the awareness stage of equity and inclusion as far as it relates to the outdoor space,鈥� said Mirna Valerio, Merrell ambassador and ultrarunner. 鈥淲e are becoming more aware of the various types of communities that need to be acknowledged and then served. There鈥檚 a lot more work to be done.鈥�

Jaylyn Gough, founder of Native Women鈥檚 Wilderness, agreed. 鈥淚 think the outdoor industry is trying, some people are trying, but walking through the hallways, it鈥檚 still a white man鈥檚 world.鈥�

Cultural appropriation is becoming a hot-button issue鈥擥ough points to an example of marketing imagery featuring a white, bikini-clad model wearing a squash blossom, a piece of ceremonial Navajo jewelry, without context explaining its significance. 鈥淲e need to reflect the ancestral history of the land where we鈥檙e playing,鈥� she said.

When it comes to diversifying leadership, we need to meet people where they are by looking beyond tried-and-true channels for recruitment. Black people need to be on boards of directors for brands and organizations, said Yanira Castro, Outdoor Afro鈥檚 communications director. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 where change is going to happen.鈥�

We also need to understand that adventure looks different in urban communities, where green spaces might be parks or paved walkways alongside rivers rather than hundred-mile trails through mountains.

鈥淚f 80 percent of people live in cities, how do we make sure the outdoors is inclusive to them?鈥� Castro asked. 鈥淧ublic land can be the park around the corner, the baseball field, and the basketball court.鈥� And we need to pay special attention to parents鈥攖hat鈥檚 the best way to make sure the next generation of outdoorists is the biggest and most inclusive yet.

Token Problem

Asking someone to speak for their race, orientation, or group takes an emotional toll.

If you鈥檙e an advocate or an activist, you know how it goes鈥攜ou become the face of a group or an idea, and all of a sudden, everyone comes to you to ask 鈥淚s this OK?鈥� or 鈥淲hat do [insert group of people] think about this?鈥�

If you鈥檝e ever gone to a friend of color to ask questions like that, you could be part of the problem.

鈥淭his work is really exhausting and isolating,鈥� said Elyse Rylander, founder of Out There 国产吃瓜黑料s, which provides outdoor programming for LGBTQ youth. Rylander organized the Spark 2020 Leadership Retreat on Sunday, which brought together activists and influencers to discuss how groups can support each other and form coalitions.

People should take it upon themselves to do their own research, instead of asking a friend or co-worker 鈥淚s this OK?鈥� said Yanira Castro of Outdoor Afro. 鈥淲e need to make sure outdoor companies are safe spaces for black people to work,鈥� she said. If Black History Month rolls around, for example, and everyone at your company looks to you to lead the conversation, that鈥檚 not fair.

Talk Is Cheap

Brands put marketing and social media where their mouths are.

It鈥檚 not enough to talk about inclusion. You have to actually be inclusive, too. Today, more and more brands are starting to get smart about being more representative in marketing campaigns.

鈥淔or too long, the industry has held a mirror up to itself, which showed an image of one type of consumer,鈥� said Tom Herbst, global marketing VP for .

The brand鈥檚 included a promise to represent men and women equally in advertising, support the Girls Scouts of America in creating new adventure badges, opening new women-specific stores, and funding a $250,000 grant program for women explorers, in honor of Ann Krcik, an industry veteran who died earlier this year.

Hiking is a great uniter of people, said Strick Walker, CMO of Merrell, which has had ongoing conversations about how to be more inclusive in its marketing campaigns. 鈥淎s a brand, we want to make sure we can inspire everyone,鈥� Walker said, which is why the brand wants to make sure a diverse group of people see themselves in Merrell鈥檚 advertising.

And even more than that? Opting for inclusiveness is a habit we need to create.鈥淭he industry needs to learn a new muscle memory,鈥� Herbst said.

The Write Way

Media need to stop glossing over diversity issues.

In the past few years, the outdoor industry鈥攁nd endemic media鈥攈ave told countless diversity-focused stories. There鈥檚 something to be said for greater attention to inclusion efforts. However, we should do better, said Jos茅 Gonz谩lez, founder and director emeritus of Latino Outdoors and a partner of the Avarna Group, which facilitates DEI鈥攄iversity, equity, and inclusion鈥攖raining.

There鈥檚 a point at which we keep getting stuck: journalists often seem reluctant to name systemic racism and other systems of oppression as the reasons why there aren鈥檛 more people of color in positions of power in the outdoor industry, Gonz谩lez said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not enough to not be racist,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou have to be anti-racist, too.鈥�

Editors should work harder to be more inclusive when hiring writers, said Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin, founding partner of the Avarna Group.

鈥淧eople of color are often put under the 鈥榙iversity鈥� umbrella,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e 鈥榩igeonholed鈥� into writing those types of stories, rather than also being hired to write about gear, adventure, or politics. Journalists should also realize that stories about people of color are not transactions, she added.

鈥淭hose stories aren鈥檛 just stories, but partnerships with people,鈥� Rajagopal-Durbin said.

Size-mic Waves

Brands break the norm by making clothing for all body types.

Not all outdoor lovers are thin and/or cut, but you wouldn鈥檛 know it from most marketing images and store shelves. REI Director of Experiences Marketing and 鈥淔or All鈥� Strategy Laura Swapp noted that the loudest feedback for the brand鈥檚 recent Force of Nature campaign centered on extended sizing.

In response, the company is expanding women鈥檚 REI size runs to 3X in many styles. To better inform the apparel鈥檚 fit and feel, REI hosted a series of six 鈥渢runk shows,鈥� where they invited women across the country to meet with designers, try on clothes, and discuss what is and is not working. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just take a pattern and make it bigger,鈥� Swapp said. 鈥淵ou really must design differently for different body sizes and shapes.鈥� REI is also committed to pricing all sizes the same.

Fellow retailer Wylder also aims to move the needle on size discrepancy. Cofounder Jainee Dial calls herself an 鈥渁gitator鈥� in this respect. She noted that all too often, brand imagery features thin, white, heteronormative models鈥攑eople who represent a limited segment of consumers.

鈥淲e try to be invitational and nonconfrontational,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e can raise our hands and say, 鈥楾his is beautiful鈥� and 鈥楾hank you. We support your brand.鈥� And then we give them an invitation to do things a little bit better, be a little bit more progressive. If every [model] is a size two, we say 鈥業t would be great to include someone who鈥檚 a woman of color and someone who鈥檚 not a size two.鈥欌��

Both women are optimistic about the future, but recognize that there鈥檚 a long way to go. 鈥淚t is changing,鈥� Swapp said. 鈥淭here is a place for everyone, and there is a voice for it all to exist under this umbrella.鈥�

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Everyone knows that some of the outdoor industry鈥檚 top brands are led by strong females鈥擱ose Marcario of Patagonia, Sue Rechner of Merrell, Donna Carpenter of Burton, Rue Mapp of Outdoor Afro, Amy Roberts of Outdoor Industry Association, Deanne Buck of Camber Outdoors, and Marisa Nicholson of Outdoor Retailer. But in celebration of International Women鈥檚 Day, we sought out a selection of smaller companies that you may not have heard about or may not have realized are headed by equally amazing gals.

The Rad Women

Shelma Jun, Flash Foxy Founder

At the end of March, more than 300 women will gather in the rocky foothills of Bishop, California, for a weekend packed with climbing, panels, and clinics as the first of two events in the third year of the Women鈥檚 Climbing Festival. Shelma Jun is behind the fest and the online platform Flash Foxy, which celebrates women getting outside with other women. Jun is a current Access Fund board member and often speaks about the importance of cultivating a climbing community that welcomes everyone who calls themselves a climber.

Kristin Carpenter-Ogden, Verde Brand Communications CEO and founder

With multiple offices throughout the Rockies, Verde Brand Communications is a PR firm that represents outdoor-focused clients like Gu Energy Labs, Gregory, and Petzl, among others. Led by Kristin Carpenter-Ogden, the firm is a member of several outdoor, environmental, and socially responsible organizations. Carpenter-Ogden is also the personality behind the Channel Mastery podcast.

Sally Bergesen, Oiselle founder and CEO

Oiselle, a French word for bird pronounced wa-zelle, is a Seattle-based athletic apparel company binding women together through run groups and giving back through various programs. Sally Bergesen started it in 2007 with the goal of making a well-constructed running short, but her original vision has blossomed into a sisterhood for women of all ages and running abilities.

Alyssa Ravasio, Hipcamp founder and CEO

Born out Alyssa Ravasio鈥檚 frustration over finding an ideal campsite to watch the first sunrise of 2013, Hipcamp was founded in San Francisco, revolutionizing and streamlining the experience of booking an overnight spot in nature. The travel service covers all national, state, regional, and Army Corps Parks in all 50 states鈥�5,756 parks, 13,421 campgrounds, and 329,567 campsites.

Teresa Baker, founder of the African American National Park Event

The African American National Park Event founded in 2013 by Teresa Baker of California, engages communities of color in nature and encourages outdoor entities to prioritize diversity. Several events are held across the country every year. Baker also is an Outdoor Afro leader and blogs about her love of the outdoors at African American Explorations.

Katy Hover-Smoot and Cassie Abel, Wild Rye founders

Wild Rye, a technical apparel design company launched in 2016, makes women-specific pieces in soft fabrics and colors鈥攆rom a pale aqua merino midweight to a cozy pair of pineapple-colored leggings鈥攖hat are meant to be worn in the wild. Katy Hover-Smoot and Cassie Abel are avid outdoorswomen who can be found crushing on trails oftentimes in Tahoe, California.

Chris Ann Goddard, CGPR founder

A seasoned PR guru with decades of institutional knowledge of the outdoor industry, Chris Ann Goddard leads the 25-year-old agency CGPR. Her team represents multiple big-name outdoor brands such as Kelty, Adidas, Merrell, Vibram, and Winter Park Resort.

Sarah Castle and Alison Wright, The Cairn Project founders

Founders Sarah Castle and Alison Wright met in Boulder, a mecca for outdoor exploration. Their organization, The Cairn Project, nurtures and empowers girls to be self confident in the outdoors mountain biking, backpacking, mountaineering, and more.聽 They’ve provided $50,000 in grants to eight different partners devoted to expanding access for underprivileged young women.

Jen Gurecki, Coalition Snow CEO

The skis on the market didn鈥檛 cut it for Jen Gurecki and other women she heard from, so in 2013 she ventured out to design a series of skis and snowboards specialized for women, by women鈥攏ow known as Coalition Snow. Gurecki has a varied background as founder of Zawadisha, a Kenyan-based social enterprise providing small loans to rural women, and is formerly co-owner of a white water rafting outfitter based in Lake Tahoe.

Alison Hill, LifeStraw managing director

LifeStraw does much more than make water filters.聽The technology introduced in 2005 as a personal 鈥渟traw-like鈥� filter was designed for people in developing countries without access to safe, clean water. Led in part by Alison Hill, the company under health group Vestergaard has delivered more than 10,000 products.

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