Nature Is The Moment You Step Outside - Reconnecting Black/African-American youth to the outdoors with Alex Bailey of Black Outside

In this episode we interview Alex Bailey of Black Outside. As a kid Alex fell in love with the outdoors every time he visited his grandparent's farm and helped in their garden. There was just something about getting his hands dirty. During summer break in college he decided to be a camp counselor and the experience transformed his lens on the power that nature has on youth. One day while chasing waterfalls (and jumping in them) Alex noticed there weren't any kids around that looked like him. He knew that needed to change, but saved that thought for another date. Later he joined Teach For America, where his memory of the waterfall was sparked. Alex needed to find a way to send kids of color to summer camps like he experienced. So what did he do? Start Black Outside, a nonprofit that reconnects Black and African/American youth with the outdoors. Now they're giving hundreds of kids the opportunity to get outside. If you've ever wondered how a simple passion can make a big impact, then this one's for you! Life in Motion is brought to you by Actual Outdoors. They help build beautiful brands that highlight the approachable and authentic parts of outdoor recreation. Said simply - they “keep it real”. Find them online at actualoutdoors.com or on Instagram at @actualoutdoors. Tweet us and let us know what you think of this episode! @illuminecollect Find more episodes at https://illuminecollect.com/blogs/news/life-in-motion-podcast Since 2017 Illumine has donated over $28,779 to outdoor nonprofits and shared over 131 stories on the Life in Motion Podcast.