Kimberly Young and Bronlynn Thurman, co-founders of Black Women Explore, have known each other for years, but it wasn’t until the two began hiking together in the early days of the pandemic that their friendship truly blossomed.
“When we went out on our hikes, we really forged our friendship, because that was a time for us to actually communicate where it was unobstructed,” said Young, who, like many Americans during the pandemic, turned to the outdoors for comfort and a change of scenery.
After those first hikes at Munroe Falls Metro Park and Holden Arboretum in Kirtland, about 50 miles from Akron, Young got the idea to create a group for women to explore the outdoors together.
“I felt that there was a need for it in Akron, especially with the racial and civil unrest that was going on in the community … that we needed that space where we can get together and talk,” she said.
Young pitched the idea to Thurman, who was immediately on board. When hiking on her own, Thurman said she was usually the only Black or brown person on the trail. She often wished she saw others.
“Having someone who is so community-focused as Kim is, and coming to me and being like, ‘Hey, we should do this.’ I was like, ‘I’ve been thinking about it, but I didn’t want to do it on my own.’ I think that that speaks to who we are. Building this together was really fun and really beautiful,” said Thurman, a lifelong outdoors person and an avid cyclist who is often “somewhere in the woods.”
The two friends launched Black Women Explore in May 2021. Their first outing was a hike at O’Neil Woods Metro Park. While hiking still represents the majority of Black Women Explore’s activities, the group has also tried kayaking, canoeing, skiing, yoga and archery.
Black Women Explore is overcoming a history of racism in outdoor spaces
Hiking was a new experience for some members of Black Women Explore in the group’s early days. While many women walk around their community, going into the woods “was a bit foreign” for them, Thurman said.
“Most of them would say, ‘I’ve always wanted to do this, but I didn’t want to do it alone,’” she said.
Those experiences are backed up by numbers. A 2021 report on outdoor participation trends from the Outdoor Foundation found that only 9% of participants were Black. Outdoor participation rates among Black youth were also markedly lower than those of their white counterparts.
The low numbers across the United States are the result of a history of discrimination and racist institutional policies that excluded Black people and other minority groups from outdoor spaces.
In the wake of the 2020 racial justice protests, outdoor retailers and organizations across America pledged to increase diversity efforts, but much of the on-the-ground work is being undertaken by groups such as Black Women Explore. Together, they create spaces for Black people to feel safe, supported and welcome in the outdoors.
Growing up, Alisa Moore said she “was outside, but not necessarily outdoors in nature.” Biking and fishing were common pastimes for her family, but they never delved into camping or hiking.
Later in life, Moore began hiking on her own. She joined Black Women Explore shortly after the group launched.
For Moore, it’s a space where she can engage with others whose experiences are similar to hers.
“We’ve been out on the trails, whether it’s Summit Metro Parks, in the national park trails or anything like that, and some of the looks you get are not sometimes the most friendly. So those discussions have come up,” she said.
She continued, “The parks are paid for by our taxes, so they’re for use [by] all. Yes, we are out here on these trails. Yes, we do go outside. We do enjoy this space as well.”
Creating a community where all are welcome
Young moved to North Carolina in August 2022, but Thurman continues to run Black Women Explore with help from Moore.
Thurman said members have overcome some of their outdoor fears, including hiking alone and being in water.
“I try to prepare people as much as possible and tell them it’s OK to be afraid,” Thurman said. “I think that it is a struggle, but the more information that people have, the more it settles their fears — and seeing other people do it.”
Creating a supportive community is the backbone of Black Women Explore. Young recounted the story of one hike at Hampton Hills Metro Park when a member had an unusual request. She’d had a tough week, and asked the group if they could all let out a big scream.
“We screamed at the top of our lungs. We probably scared the hikers that were before or after us. But it was very therapeutic,” Young said. “We were all there collectively just releasing the weight of the world.
She continued, ‘“And that’s what we want to build. That’s what we have built, is that community where everyone feels so comfortable just being themselves and being free.”
Interested in joining Black Women Explore? Request to join the group’s private Facebook group. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.