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Mountain J.E.D.I. Virtual Book Club: The Adventure Gap · Thu. Jan. 7th, 2021 - Thu. Feb. 18th, 2021
Warning: This is an old trip - it already happened
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Start: Thursday, Jan. 7th, 6:00 pm
End: Thursday, Feb. 18th, 7:30 pm
Description:
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) in the outdoors has been a conversation within the VOC for a while, but representation of BIPOC, Queer folks, low-income folks, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups is still low within the VOC membership.
I think one of the many ways we can tackle this is to have a virtual book club where we read about and discuss JEDI in the outdoors. This space is welcome to people who are brand new to social justice discussions, as well as people with a lot of knowledge and experience on the subject. I would like this to be a space for learning, so please don't worry if you're not an "expert" on this yet. I will try to make this an accessible space for people with all levels of knowledge on the subject.
CLICK HERE FOR THE GOOGLE DOC WITH INFO & THE ZOOM LINK
We will be reading The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors
The book is 256 pages, with seven chapters. We will meet every two weeks, starting in January
Meeting one: Chapters 1 & 2 [ Thursday, Jan 7th at 6:00pm Pacific ]
Meeting two: Chapters 3 & 4[ Thursday, Jan 21st at 6:00pm Pacific ]
Meeting three: Chapters 5 & 6[ Thursday, Feb 4th at 6:00pm Pacific ]
Meeting four: Chapters 7 & epilogue[ Thursday, Feb 18th at 6:00pm Pacific ]
**Meeting four is during reading week, so we can discuss rescheduling if needed
The first meeting will take place on Thursday, January 7th at 6:00 Pacific time. Meetings will continue bi-weekly at 6pm PST
Please buy your copy from a local bookstore if you can. They are really struggling during the pandemic!
Mountain JEDI Virtual Book Club Guidelines:
- This bookclub is geared more towards people who have not personally experienced racism in the outdoors, and who would like to learn more about anti-racism and to question ourselves and grow. We do not expect people to be experts on this, or to know all of the terms yet -- this is a learning space. However, we certainly welcome people with personal experiences of racism in the outdoors or people with a strong background in anti-racism and social justice. Your knowledge and experience is most appreciated.
- Innapropriate and/or disrespectful language, including threats, bullying, insults or language that is racist, sexist, homophobic, etc. will not be tolerated, and you will be removed from the book club. If you have any concerns about this, please contact me. You may also contact the Peer Support Group (PSG) as an alternative resource if you feel unsafe (find their contact info at the top of the members' list)
- Naturally, we will disagree with each other on certain topics. Disagreeing is fine, as long as it is respectful. This is a sensitive subject, so let's chose to be compassionate to each other and call each other "in" instead of "calling out".
- Please show up to meetings on time and do your best to read the assigned chapters
- Please strike a healthy balance between sharing and listening. Make space for others to share their thoughts too.
- No spoilers
About the book:
""An important new book about a crucial challenge facing the conservation movement" -- Spencer Black, vice president, Sierra Club
The nation’s wild places—from national and state parks to national forests, preserves, and wilderness areas—belong to all Americans. But not all of us use these resources equally. Minority populations are much less likely to seek recreation, adventure, and solace in our wilderness spaces. It’s a difference that African American author James Mills addresses in his new book, The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors.
Bridging the so-called “adventure gap” requires role models who can inspire the uninitiated to experience and enjoy wild places. Once new visitors are there, a love affair often follows. This is important because as our country grows increasingly multicultural, our natural legacy will need the devotion of people of all races and ethnicities to steward its care.
In 2013, the first all-African American team of climbers, sponsored by the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), challenged themselves on North America’s highest point, the dangerous and forbidding Denali, in Alaska. Mills uses Expedition Denali and its team members’ adventures as a jumping-off point to explore how minority populations view their place in wild environments and to share the stories of those who have already achieved significant accomplishments in outdoor adventures—from Mathew Henson, a Black explorer who stood with Peary at the North Pole, to Kai Lightner, a teenage sport climber currently winning national competitions. The goal of the expedition, and now the book, is to inspire minority communities to look outdoors for experiences that will enrich their lives, and to encourage them toward greater environmental stewardship." (Themountaineers.org, n.d.)
*** I have never run or participated in a book club before, so please feel free to provide any suggestions if you have any :) ***
Posted: 2020-12-02 18:04:02
Last modified: 2021-01-04 15:52:05