This week, I’m speaking with Courtney Lanctot founder of The Unpopular Black @theunpopularblack, whose mission is to "encourage Black adventure beyond the stereotypes and narratives of what Black people ‘don’t do.'" The goal of her company is to “show a real representation of Black people adventuring and provide information on how to access outdoor spaces and adventure activities that have been white facing/focused for far too long.” Nature is a place where we can all find belonging and I believe it's essential for each of us to work towards making the outdoors feel inclusive for everyone. Courtney’s vision is so powerful and I’m so inspired by the work she is doing in the outdoor space!
Resources:
For full show notes, visit: www.ournaturepodcast.com/episodes
To sign up for the Our Nature Newsletter, head to: ournaturepodcast.com
- On what it was like to grow up in Alaska surrounded by nature, but disconnected from it
- What nature offers us
- What inspired Courtney to start The Unpopular Black
- Why Black people don’t feel like there’s a place for them on the trail
- The 3 pillars of The Unpopular Black
- How The Unpopular Black helps Black people feel safe in the outdoors
- The delicate balance of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone while also creating a foundation of safety in nature
- The challenges of putting away your phone so that you can be present in nature
- Courtney’s struggle to be present while also capturing content
- Where to begin if you’d like to cultivate a deeper relationship with nature through adventuring
- How Courtney’s relationship with nature has shifted since starting The Unpopular Black
- Vision for The Unpopular Black going forward
- What Courtney is most proud of
- The Last 5 Questions
