The Bronze Chapter

The Bronze Chapter is a Black woman founded and led 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for underrepresented communities of color experience nature and the natural world in ways that lead to curiosity, joy, deep listening, and life-long learning about wild spaces and environment.

Through cultivating connections with nature and outdoor spaces, we hope to instigate discovery, imagination, creativity, and wonder that may inspire some to be future environmental scientists, outdoor industry educators, climate researchers, teachers, rangers, artists, trip leaders, wildlife or marine biologists, musicians, and compassionate policy makers committed to protecting where the wild things are.

The construct of racism limited access to land, parks, pools, and beaches. Limited access means limited opportunities for learning. Our programs support the movement towards a more racially-just outdoors and help Community get back outside to rest, play, and learn. Community is centered in outdoor skill sharing, knowledge sharing, and recreation. Every program supports another, creating layers of opportunity to learn how to be safe and responsible friends of nature.

We view camping as a gateway activity that opens doors to the outdoors. Learning to camp well in a variety of seasons and terrain allows us to safely sustain ourselves outside overnight. When we’re able to do that, we can travel and experience the world in nearly infinite ways. Basic camping skills easily translate to backpacking, kayak camping, bicycle and motorcycle camping, etc.

We view safety as an essential element of outdoor recreation. Offering wilderness first aid certification and self-defense for the outdoors and beyond help us keep ourselves safe and provide aid to others who may need assistance.

We support families and increase access to the health, physical, cultural, and inspirational benefits of the outdoors by decreasing barriers that block us from it.

From Marian Wright Edelman: “You can’t be what you can’t see” and this is why Representation Matters. The Bronze Chapter is a place to rewrite outdoor narratives.

Although Black and brown people helped build much of the infrastructure of parks and public lands, outdoor leisure was not made or meant for our use or enjoyment. Until the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, Black people in many states were legally barred and/or subject to segregation at state and national parks and on other public lands. That was just 55 years ago. This is current history.