Washington Trails
Association
Trails for everyone, forever
Washington Trails
AssociationTrails for everyone, forever
WTA’s Emerging Leaders find professional connections in the outdoor community. By Angelic Friday
“It is so cool to hear community partners’ stories and where they started their own journey in this industry,” Yadi Cruz, a member of WTA’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), said this year.
The Emerging Leaders Program, which WTA began in 2021, has continued to evolve and grow each year, helping participants expand their trail work and leadership skills. Cohort members have emphasized that connecting with community partners — and many other BIPOC individuals in the outdoor industry — is one of the most important parts of the program.
At WTA, we have seen how important collaboration and partnership are to enriching experiences and building communities, so we have made it a key part of the program. Participants engage in discussions, shadow leaders in the outdoor industry and listen to guest panels with community partners. For ELP participants, meeting BIPOC-identifying people who can understand cohort members’ lived experiences is inspiring. Our partners also find value in the program.
“Last year and this year, I got to go out on a hike with the crew, and it’s so invigorating for me as a person that is 24/7 in the work,” said Chevon Powell, creator of Golden Bricks Events. “[ELP] aligns with what I do because I am serving BIPOC communities and creating spaces for BIPOC folks to be outside and live and thrive and enjoy their time. To see the future, the next group of leaders coming out of there, is very important for me as well because we need more diverse leadership in this work.”
Janette Chien, Washington State Parks diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) director, admired that cohort members are so wise and grounded early in their careers.
“I really like getting to know the cohort. They all have such unique backgrounds, stories and skill sets that they are coming with. I am always impressed by the wisdom they have. They feel way more grounded than I was at that stage.”
This year, we facilitated a BIPOC community partner hike at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma. 12 people from eight different organizations showed up to hike, geocache and learn together.
During the hike, Valeria Santiago, a 2024 ELP cohort member, led an activity focused on the Salish Sea for her independent project. As a kid, her fascination with science was ignited by dedicated educators. Valeria finds fulfillment in creating memorable connections to nature for her community, especially people of color. She recalls being mesmerized by the relaxing rhythm of waves and wants others to have that experience. Valeria ended the hike with a poetry and drawing session, in which those who attended the hike shared reflections. Through colors, stickers and stories, partners highlighted community in outdoor spaces and their experiences with new connections.
“It was a breath of fresh air to connect with other BIPOC professionals and chat with community members about their work, but also about their interests outside of it,” Valeria said. “It felt like I was catching up with old friends. I left the event inspired and curious to continue to learn and grow.”
Crystal Hudelson, from Climbers of Color, joined our hike this year and appreciated the chance to be outdoors in a group setting.
“The partner hike was great!” Crystal said. “I was like, this is my people. Every time, we stopped when we saw a cool flower or a nice color on the trail or birds flying overhead, which I thought was really great. Also, just being able to talk to other people from different professions that intersect with the outdoors was really interesting.”
One common theme that our partners, ELP participants and staff took away from this season is the power of community and connection in a safe and supportive learning environment.
The intentional space that we are able to cultivate for BIPOC individuals within WTA is unique. And it is essential for our community to feel the confidence necessary to thrive in this industry. Spending time with inspiring partners, hearing their stories and building connections with them is a monumental part of the program. These connections create welcoming and supportive learning environments. Our community partners illustrate various options within the outdoor industry, share stories about real-life work, explain what it’s like to work in a nonprofit or state agency and demonstrate facilitation and leadership skills.
Michelle Mouw, an ELP cohort alumnx from 2023 and the 2024 ELP crew lead, said meeting Chevon Powell, also the creator of the Refuge Outdoors Festival, provided a unique opportunity.
“Meeting Chevon was inspiring. She is an incredible organizer and I felt so lucky to have been able to connect with her while hiking through beautiful Point Defiance,” Michelle said. “We had a great conversation about community partnerships and her philosophy surrounding what makes a good community partner. Little did I know that this connection would lead to me playing my music along the banks of the beautiful Snoqualmie River at Refuge. It felt like a dream come true and a beautiful example of how the collective can support individual dreams and creativity.”
Connections and collaboration with our community partners are at the heart of ELP. The program provides resources and future opportunities for participants by making space for conversations with BIPOC leaders in the outdoor industry. The ELP team appreciates all the time and intention that these individuals, along with all of our other community partners, have put into connecting with the ELP community.
Our community is made up of inspiring individuals and leaders, each with different identities and backgrounds, but they all agree how valuable it is to have equitable access and opportunities for BIPOC individuals, and those with other marginalized identities, to build confidence in the outdoors. There is so much power in showing up and being part of these spaces. BIPOC hikers are out here, paving the way for the younger generation to feel confident to show up and take up space in the outdoors.
Our shared vision of seeing and uniting more Black, Indigenous, and people of color outdoors and within the outdoor industry unites us all. The intention that all of these community partners bring to their own organizations and communities inspires the WTA community. Here is what partners say they enjoy most about collaborating with ELP, and why they think the program is important.
“I think in a lot of ways it feels life-giving to be in spaces with people of color who want to be the pipeline into environmental justice, conservation and recreation efforts. It feels important for us to know we can be in these spaces, that we can thrive in these spaces. It’s super energizing to be with ELP (participants) and listen to their passion, hope and excitement.”
— Ashleigh Shoecraft, Braided Seeds’ executive director
“Intentionality in serving diverse communities. Incorporating folks’ culture into the program and allowing folks to show up as they are. I really appreciated collaborating because those are things we try to do in the way we navigate our work as well. I loved collaborating with MJ, Angelic and Bea (all current or past ELP leaders) in the past — and so many other amazing leaders.”
— Chevon Powell, Golden Bricks Events
“ELP allows us to continue exploring the intersectional spaces of ethnicity and place, culture and community, and pushes the conversation of what it means to be a person of color in the outdoor and recreation industries. This program allows us to strengthen our personal identities and bonds with our peers.”
— Chris Young, Outdoor Asian
“I think that being a person of color in the outdoor industry can feel very isolating. I remember when I first started working at Washington State Parks, I had a hard time finding where I fit in. … Part of the reason I wanted to come into this field was to really change the way that I felt about outdoor recreation. To think about myself in it and think not about how people of color fit into the industry, but how people of color are already there and how we can lift that up and make it be all around us.”
— Janette Chien, Washington State Parks*, DEI director
*Janette has been essential in planning the ELP cohort’s time with WA State Parks (2023-2025).
