Black Women’s Groups Find Health And Healing On Hikes, But Sometimes Racism, Too

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Members of Vibe Tribe Adventures, an organization founded in Colorado to encourage Black women to participate in outdoor excursions, hike through Bear Creek Regional Park on Oct. 24 in Colorado Springs.

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It. Was. Perfect. Exactly what Newton had envisioned when in 2017 she founded Black Girls Hike to connect with other Black women who share her affinity for outdoor activities. She also wanted to recruit others who had yet to experience the serenity of spending time with friends in nature, which she fell for as a child attending an affluent, predominately white private school.

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Jessica Newton, who formed Vibe Tribe Adventures to encourage other Black women to enjoy the outdoors, listens during a first aid class at Bear Creek Regional Park. Her group offers Black women opportunities to try snowshoeing, fly-fishing, zip-lining and kayaking, as well as hikes.

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(Left) Joy Eloi, 14, and Jan Garduno (right) practice compressions on a CPR training mannequin during the first-aid class for hikers.

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Eventually, two Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies, with guns on their hips, approached, asking, «What’s going on here?» They had been contacted by rangers who’d received complaints about a large group of Black women being followed by camera drones in the park; the drones belonged to a national television news crew shooting a feature on the group. (The segment aired weeks later, but footage of the confrontation wasn’t included.)

«‘Move that mob!'» attendee Portia Prescott recalls one of the horseback riders barking.

«Why is it that a group of Black women hiking on a trail on a Sunday afternoon in Colorado is considered a ‘mob?’ » Prescott asks.

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(Left to right) Theresa Odello, Jessica Newton, Jan Garduno, Ashanta Cyprian, Joy Eloi and Jewyl Newton follow Lynn Wilson on a hike in a Colorado Springs park. Studies show «if you are outdoors for at least five minutes, it literally brings your stress level down significantly,» says Newton.

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«You should be excited that we are bringing more people to use your parks,» added Newton. «Instead, we got slammed with [threats of] violations and ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Please, get your people and get out of here.’ It’s just crazy.»

Mike Taplin, spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, confirms that no citations were issued. The deputies «positively engaged with everyone, with the goal of preserving the peace,» he says.

Newton says the «frustrating» incident has reminded her why her group, which she revamped and renamed Vibe Tribe Adventures last year, is so needed in the white-dominated outdoor enthusiasts’ arena.

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Jan Garduno says becoming a member of Vibe Tribe has offered the camaraderie and safety that comes with hiking in a group. Another benefit, she says, is that she’s lost about 40 pounds, and has been able to keep the weight off.

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Bear Creek Regional Park recreation coordinator Theresa Odello points out different types of plants to members of Vibe Tribe Adventures.

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(Left to right) Jessica Newton, her 16-year-old cousin Jewyl Newton, and her 14-year-old daughter Joy Eloi, pause to take a selfie mid-hike.

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Vibe Tribe Adventures is one of many groups nationwide seeking to address barriers that often keep Black women from exploring outdoor activities.

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Vibe Tribe Adventures is one of many groups nationwide seeking to address barriers that often keep Black women from exploring outdoor activities.

Kevin Mohatt for KHN

Efforts to draw more Black people, especially women, outdoors, Cameron says, must include addressing barriers, like cost. For example, Blackpackers provides a «gear locker» to help members use pricey outdoor gear free or at discounted rates. She has also partnered with businesses and organizations that subsidize and sponsor outdoor excursions. During the pandemic, Vibe Tribe has waived all membership fees through January.

Cameron says she dreams of a day when Black people are free from the pressures of carrying the nation’s racial baggage when participating in outdoor activities.

Vibe Tribe member and longtime outdoor enthusiast Jan Garduno, 52, of Aurora, Colorado, agreed that fear and safety are pressing concerns. For example, leading up to the presidential election she changed out of her «Let My People Vote» T-shirt before heading out on a solo walk for fear of how other hikers might react.

Groups like Vibe Tribe, she says, provide camaraderie and an increased sense of safety. And another plus? The health benefits can also be transformative.

«I’ve been able to lose about 40 pounds and I’ve kept it off,» says Garduno.

Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit, editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, and is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

• environmental racism
• outdoor recreation
• great outdoors
• hiking
• Colorado