Growing up on 139th Street in Harlem, my world revolved around concrete, asphalt and brick.
Scratchitti pocked the thin, leafless trees on my block – all two of them.
So when I went out into the woods for my first real hike, at age 24, I was mesmerized by the simplest of things. Moss. Funky-looking mushrooms. The shrill mating calls of birds.
I could handle the crackheads who lit up under the staircase in my building. (“Get out now or I’m calling the cops.”) I was not intimidated by the bully-girls from around the corner who acted tough although they lived in fear.
But put me in the wilderness, and I’d jump at the slightest noise. I couldn’t sleep the first time I camped. I imagined wolves would tear through the tent and feast on my intestines.
That’s the reality for many poor urbanites.
Because we may not have access to a car, money for gear, or folks who can introduce us to the wonders of the wilderness, we remain stuck in a grid where everything is manmade.
That’s why organizations such as the Beckwourth Mountain Club, which introduces Denverites of all ages to the outdoors, are so important, especially for people of color who might feel awkward being the only African- American, Latino, or Asian-American or urban Indian in the woods for miles.
Outdoor neophytes like me have always counted on those who are the literal trailblazers to teach us the way.
They are people like Cheryl Armstrong, the executive director of the Beckwourth Mountain Club, Nina Roberts of the National Park Service in Fort Collins, and Brian Gilbert, a backcountry ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park.
Those three people are among the 20 profiled in a new book, “Black & Brown Faces in America’s Wild Places.”
The book’s author and photographer, Dudley Edmondson, felt compelled to write it after spending 15 years photographing wildlife and nature across the country.
It had always bothered him that he was often the only black person in the wilderness and people would look at him as if he were out of place.
He decided to profile others like him, even if they number few, as a way to inspire other people of color to get away from the comforts of their urban environs and experience the wonders of the wild.
I look forward to meeting this phenomenal photographer when he comes to town on Friday. You’ll understand why if you take a look at his work, at raptor works
.com.
Edmondson hopes his book will help people of color understand the importance of connecting with the Earth and feel inspired by the stories of birders, hunters, conservationists, wildlife biologists, mountaineers and rock climbers.
“Nature and the environment is part of our natural heritage. It doesn’t matter who you are or what your background is,” Edmondson said. “Everyone depends on it.”
He said humans try to separate themselves from other life forms, which is foolish because we’re all connected and depend on nature for survival.
Besides, there is a serenity that urbanites can only find if they get away from the city. There’s nothing quite like climbing or hiking or backpacking for several miles, to an incredible mountain vista. There, you can find humility. You realize whatever problems you have are minute.
As Beckwourth program director Michael Richardson – the first African-American to climb all 54 of Colorado’s fourteeners – puts it: “You have to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city if you want to expand your mind.”
There’s another reason Edmondson wants people of color to feel comfortable venturing into the wilderness, though.
The percentage of people of color among the U.S. population is increasing – expected to exceed 50 percent by 2050 – so it’s imperative that more non-whites become more environmentally conscious. Without that awareness, we may not pay attention to the destruction caused by logging, the emission of greenhouse gases and the pollution of our waters.
If we have a greater connection to the outdoors, it will spawn a greater respect for nature and inspire environmentalism.
Of course that’s true of all people, black, brown or otherwise.
Cindy Rodríguez’s column appears Tuesdays and Sundays. Read Cindy’s blog at denverpostbloghouse.com/rodriguez
