Rachel

“You don't need to be outside for a long period of time. I think even just 10 minutes every day outside makes a huge difference for your mental health, for me especially. I love to honestly go outside, lay on some grass and bask under the sun.”

– Rachel

Adiam

“I did yoga a couple times in college and didn't like it. I think I struggled because yoga is a lot of body bending and movement. Always being thicker and curvier, it’s a lot harder to do a lot of the poses. And I always felt like nobody looked like me. I also felt like yoga is a very white-dominated space. There's less recognition of the history and the respect of really recognizing where your mind is, where your heart is, where your body is and the cultural, religious, traditional aspects of yoga. I feel like if I want to participate in yoga, I want to do it with people who are going to either recognize that or come from that community. I’ve tried to get back into yoga the last few years. The kind of quietness of yoga and the centering and stretching and really turned into understanding what my body can and cannot do.”

– Adiam

Toguchi Family

“We eat at home together, so taking it outdoors just kind of extends that experience for our family. It’s just enjoying really good food and we all are very grateful and appreciative of the food that we get to eat even outdoors.”

– Rowena

Peggy

“The older I grow the more I want to be with the younger generations. You feel a lot more motivated to move around, to do things, especially to go outdoors. Rowena [my daughter] is usually the one who makes up all the plans and we are just following her. Every time, everywhere we go is a new place for us.”

– Peggy

Brianne

Our Faces

A tree isn’t the only one to feel the touch of the wind. I’ve felt it too
in those early mornings
beneath the stars
as I walked behind my father.

The mountain would be so cold.

I would plod through the grass —
its tips covered with dew
and tuck my little arms
into the long sleeves
of the shirt my father handed down to me.

But as he promised, I would warm up soon.

Gold light
would begin
to flash and trickle through the trees
and the tops of the forest
would begin
to echo with life.

I was 7 or 8, and
we were hunting —
a special way I’ve shared the mountain
with my father
since that time.

•••

The wind that blows a tree on the mountain,
is the same wind that
moves down
and sweeps
over the ocean
before the heat rises.

I’ve felt that too
as I sat on the fish box
of our small boat —
looking over
at my father, uncles, and Papa (grandfather).

With steady hands
my Papa would steer our boat
and we would
soar
over the deep blue.

He would look for landmarks
on the shoreline
as he positioned the boat
for my father and uncles
to hop off and dive.

When I was still too young to go with them,
I stayed on the boat with my Papa
and fished.

In time, I jumped in the water with the divers
and would watch
as they would hold their breaths
and glide down
slowly
to the bottom of a reef
colored with fish.

I was 7 or 8, and
we were spearfishing —
a special way that I’ve shared the ocean
with my father, uncles, and Papa
since that time.

•••

And so

when you see the outdoors,
I hope you see our faces.

The faces of me (as a young girl),
my father,
uncles,
and Papa —
not to mention
of all those who came before us.

I hope you see
the faces of those
whose minds
fill a mountain with teachings
and an ocean with knowledge.

I hope you see
the faces of those
whose voices
fill a forest with whistles
and a coast with laughter.

This is my story,
one of a young, local girl
from the Big Island of Hawaii

who was brought
close together,

by the mountains and the ocean,

through all the times I’ve shared
in those special ways,

with my family.

– Brianne Lauro

Photo credit: Braelynn Lauro

Vanny

“Through urban hiking, which is the act of walking together, we discover the boundaries and possibilities within our discovery of happiness.”

– Vanny Mwamba

Photo credit: Mike S. James

DuBroy

“The best gear for being outdoors is a smile. Though I must admit my fancy schmancy REI traveler’s pillow is a close second, the most useful thing I bring with me on any outdoor expedition is a positive mental attitude (PMA). Just about any photo of me outdoors sports a big honking grin, because I love it. Even if it has been a rough day, I make sure to muster a positive attitude for my adventures, be they big or small. That is important to me, because as a student and a city dweller, it can be hard to get truly ‘away.’ There’s this idea that the outdoors is inaccessible, distant, desolate. But the outdoors is ... only ever a door away! Be it walking around my college campus, stopping in my favorite community garden or gallivanting through a state park, the outdoors is always at hand. I take extra time to stop and smell the roses (literally when I can), examine the birds, the flowers and all the majesty of even the most mundane urban landscape. My PMA is a constant assistant in the world.

“I credit an awesome youth nonprofit I volunteer with for inspiring a constant PMA in nature: one•n•ten. They provide underserved queer youth awesome opportunities, like the OUTscouts program. Through OUTscouts, queer youth who may have been excluded from other scout organizations have a chance to get outdoors and discover their own PMA.”

– DuBroy, co-op member since 2019

Photo courtesy: DuBroy

Jon

“Growing up on the reservation and living with my grandmother in her Hogan without Wi-Fi, game consoles and electricity or running water for the matter, outside naturally became my playground ... Getting outside now means being able to relive those youthful experiences. It means being able to remember my grandmother by smelling her ceremonies through a campfire and visualizing her smile under the stars where I can still feel the soft hum of her ceremonial song variations thrum in my chest. It also means stopping mid-bike ride to feeling the soft sage brush I would often help her collect as a child. Rubbing the leaves in my hands, I inhale her strength. Of course, I still enjoy shredding, an occasional trailside beverage and the camaraderie that comes with group rides, but the outdoors internally, still help bridge the gap from those memories and my psyche today.”

– Jon Yazzie, co-op member since 2003

Ali

“During the height of the pandemic, I sought out ways to bring me joy. Whether it was art, science, food or skating, I tapped into all of my interests as a means of self-care. See, roller-skating has always held significance in the African American community. Outdoor skating is ‘freeing’ for me; it challenges my agility, body and capabilities as a 30-plus-year-old skater. I’d always been active as a child (ice skating, band, tennis), but I took up roller-skating last year. After sharing my love of skating with friends on Instagram, more women reached out to join me. We call ourselves the ‘Memphis Skater Hotties.’ We’re a diverse group of women of all ethnicities, sizes and skill levels who enjoy skating and love the outdoors. We are a community that comes together weekly to improve our physical, emotional, mental and environmental wellness. It’s far from simply skating; it’s family, fitness and so much fun!”

– Ali Manning

Photo Credit: Be Manning @photosbybe on Instagram

Valentin

“I recently began playing basketball outdoors again. It’s such great exercise. It’s a lot of cardio, and I love the competition. I began playing when I was about 8 years old. I remember this one game as a kid. My friends and I played all afternoon and evening, even after the sun went down. Man, it was such a good memory. I wouldn’t typically think of playing basketball at an outdoor court to be an outdoorsy activity, but that’s mainly informed by what I see the outdoor industry market to people. Someone could consider it outdoorsy if they wanted to. I personally love playing the game outdoors because you get fresh air and sun. It’s just a different experience. Whenever I go outside and do something I love, I’m always like, man, I’ve been missing out.”

– Valentin Ballesteros, as told to Sarah Grothjan

Kimberly

“Something in me changed during that paddle. Sitting in my kayak on a lake surrounded by jagged mountain peaks, gazing out at the tall pines as the sun shone down and bald eagles soared overhead, I knew I’d never be the same again. I wasn’t just happy—I was brimming with joy. I was at peace. I realized I didn’t need anything other than my kayak and a lake to find this feeling.”

– Kimberly Wheatley

Photo credit: @paddlingwithbae

Angela

“I’m a DeafBlind woman and moved to Seattle from Toronto in 2003. Growing up, I went to the School for the Deaf in Ontario and participated in team sports. I started losing my peripheral vision as a teenager. As time passed, I’ve lost more of my vision so now my vision is like looking through a straw. I decided to transition from team sports to running because my vision changed, and I wasn’t able to do team sports anymore. I’ve been running for many years now. I run on a treadmill and sometimes run outside. When I run outside, I wear a top that says, ‘DeafBlind runner’ to alert bikers and others that I’m unable to hear and probably won’t see them. I prefer to run outside because it gives me the opportunity to see trees, plants, squirrels, the sky and feel connected to the universe. That connection gives me a feeling of peace.”

– Angela Theriault, co-op member since 2003

Michael

“Growing up, I played basketball at the park next to my childhood home in Flint, Michigan. I’d play during the week with friends or just by myself. I’d mimic my favorite players—Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas—and just practice. I look back on this time in my life and am so grateful I had a park so close to where I lived. It made it easy to get outside with friends regularly. When you don’t live next to a park or playground, you don’t get outside as often. Because I lived next to one and I always saw kids there, I went frequently. I met many of my childhood friends at that park.

“Now I play basketball every Wednesday. I love playing at an outdoor court because it’s such a stress reliever. Getting out in the sun to do something I love makes me feel free. I definitely consider playing basketball outside to be outdoorsy. Any time you can put down your phone or laptop and step outside, that’s outdoorsy.”

– Michael Coleman, as told to Sarah Grothjan

Shelani

“In terms of being outside, it doesn't have to be something super big, you could just go to a park and that's what I would enjoy doing when I just wanted some grounding time for myself. I would just go to a park around my house or drive to a park and walk around and I saw all kinds of different generations of people out there walking with their families or their friends and catching up or doing some stretches outside. I realized like you don't have to be like a serious outdoorsy person. I think sometimes in my community there is a sense that ‘Oh, well, if you're very outdoorsy you’re doing these big things like backpacking and camping and hiking all the time.’ You don't have to do that. Choose what works for you and make it yours.”

– Shelani, co-op member since 2018

Cliford

“I am an adventure/commercial photographer, and I love doing outdoor shit. Climbing, biking, hiking or camping all bring me so much joy and the opportunity to connect and meet some of the most amazing people in the world. My photography is more of a way to capture the good and bad times spent in the outdoors.”

– Cliford Mervil, co-op member since 2019. @cliford.mervil on Instagram.

Kam

“Nature provides me the freedom that my body doesn't; the freedom to imagine, explore and contemplate. ... I didn’t truly appreciate nature until a time of self-discovery when I was 27. I had just moved to California soon after learning I had a very rare genetic, progressive muscle-wasting condition. GNE myopathy would eventually take my body to complete immobility. This news unwittingly amplified a sense of adventure I've always held deep within me. No longer feeling the need to cage it, I began to travel. I took endless road trips through nature, fulfilling my curiosities along the way. This is when I found nature at a time when I needed her most.”

– Kam Redlawsk

Photo credit: Jason Hazelroth

Atia

“Going outside is the best way to bond with people. I think that it is the best way to create a connection with the Earth and with others. And I think that it’s kind of a continuation of the time that I spent outdoors as a child, kind of finding myself, kind of understanding the Earth, and finding peace and solace.”

– Atia

Kena

“Why do I love the outdoors? I ask myself that question each weekend while exploring the beauty of Mother Nature. I love the outdoors because it's the only place where I can exist without any expectations. It's just me, the giant redwoods, the shy and stealth wildlife, and the fresh outdoor air that beats any luxury perfume you've ever owned.”

– Kena Peay, co-op member since 2006. @KenaPeay on Instagram.

Sadiqaa

“Outside is where I shine the brightest. It's where I go to unwind and relax. Whether I’m arm deep in dirt from gardening, riding my bike, riding a horse, swimming, playing tennis or running, the fresh air relaxes me. I’m also what one would call a pluviophile: a lover of rain. I love the feel of the raindrops upon my skin. It’s refreshing and soul cleansing. When I'm outside, I slow down to enjoy nature. I become ecstatic when I spot groundhogs, chipmunks, foxes, beautiful flowers or oddly shaped trees. Walks, runs or rides around creeks are sedative to me. I’m able to unwind and decompress in those environments.”

– Sadiqaa Horton

Photo courtesy: Sadiqaa Horton

Cindy

“I am a first-generation Mexican American, born and raised in Los Angeles, a garden educator and consultant and an advocate for low-waste living. I love being outside and going camping. In the last five or six years, I have worked in the gardening and sustainability space in different forms. While advocating for low-waste living and gardening, online and through workshops, I hope to inspire others to do the same with compassion for Mother Earth!

“I have been lucky to have the chance to work outdoors, whether it’s a small garden, an urban farm or today in a nursery. I get to be outside in the sun with plants, the flowers, the pollinators, touching the soil while I plant or harvest. I may not be surrounded by the forest, or on a mountain, hiking and overlooking everything, but I am outside interacting with the beautiful earth, nurturing the soil and plants.

“Another part of this sustainable lifestyle that connects me to the outdoors is composting. The slow decomposition of the plants that were put in the pile, the steam it gives out when the pile is being turned, all the decomposers that you see walking around in the pile. It’s alive, and Mother Nature is doing its thing. It’s a great reminder that we as humans can create these symbiotic relationships with Mother Earth.”

– Cindy Villaseñor, co-op member since 2014. @cerowastecindy on Instagram.

Simon

“My name is Simon; I’m autistic and I love the outdoors. I think I’ve always loved the outdoors. We moved to Seattle from a rural area out on the Olympic Peninsula. Seattle has been great, don’t get me wrong, but we have spent as much time as we can gathering oysters on Whidbey Island, mushrooming on the peninsula and fishing all over the Seattle area.

“I’m a swimmer with Special Olympics and the Orca Masters swim club. I swam on the USA team for Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi in 2019. When the pools were closed this past year, I had to give up an activity that was as much therapy as exercise. Swimming was my way to center myself, but it’s also opened opportunities for me. During this past year being outside on the beach helped me just relax and feel good, but I also give back by picking up debris from the beach.

“I’m hoping to get back to swimming soon, but I’m also looking forward to spending part of my time learning a new sport. I’m taking up SUP (stand up paddle boarding) so I can continue to spend time at the beach.”

– Simon Van Giesen, co-op member since 2013

Bron

“Nature has really informed my creative approach by its stillness and its silence. I would take trips by myself and be able to just like sit and observe the ways that light interacted with a space. I think it really influenced the way I saw the world as a photographer, as an image maker.”

– Bron Moyi, director of photography of the short film series "The Trees Remember"

LeAnne

“The annual trip started with friends and co-workers, who we now call our Seattle family. We wanted to encourage people of color to explore the outdoors and bring folks together from different cultures and perspectives. To be outside and continue strong habits about respecting nature and our impact. To be present with one another, solidify relationships, have extended conversations, and invest in each other. We wanted to be in a place that was comfortable to be our authentic selves in the safest space: Mother Nature.

“Each year we add someone new who is skeptical that we are sleeping outside by choice. We tell them to come, just as they are, with a sleeping bag and a tent. ‘We'll take care of your food. We'll do all the cooking.’ We hope they see how accessible camping can be and say, ‘Oh, I can do that, it's not overwhelming.’ The next time, they can plan a meal, explore making their favorite cultural dish adapted for a campfire, such as carne asada tacos, shrimp and grits, or jambalaya. Slowly they will build up their collection of what they need.

“Who have you added to your annual trip, who are you bringing along in your space? Have you considered bringing someone who is different than you and who has never explored the outdoors? Try it and you will see how much better your adventure will be.”

– LeAnne Wiles, co-op member since 2018

Photo courtesy: LeAnne Wiles

Julio

“I have been fortunate to have hiked all around the world while serving in the Marine Corps. Some of it has been for training, others for service operations. My hiking journey has given me opportunities to discover new places. I’ve explored the mountains of Seoul, South Korea, the jungles of Okinawa, Japan, the deserts of Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Africa and the outback in Australia.

“Since then, hiking has become an important outdoor experience with my family. I try to show them the beauty of being with nature and being free—away from all the noise and busyness of life. I’ve been able to share a lot of good things with my family, from getting a good workout to teaching my wife and sons little things like spotting a snake trail or the tracks of a coyote.

Being outdoors with my family is where some of our best conversations take place. It means a lot to me that in the outdoors and through hiking, we are together. We are not separated by work, video games, social media or computers. I can see by my children’s reactions that they love being outside, in the wilderness or on a hike. That to me says we are a strong family. We can push and encourage each other to be strong as we climb a big hill like Old Smokey at Camp Pendleton, California, or a little trail near home. I also get to share hiking stories with my son who is serving in the Marines in Okinawa and has his own hiking stories to tell.”

– Julio Garcia, co-op member since 2017

Photo credit: Olivia Garcia

Autumn

“I have many fond memories of exploring the outdoors with my maternal grandmother who was an elder in the Skokomish Indian Tribe. The Skokomish River in Washington state winds through the reservation where she grew up. We would often hike along the river where she shared the traditions of my heritage and taught me essential skills for living in harmony with nature.

“I remember walking and hiking for hours with my grandmother, taking in the scenery as we hunted for the best holes to fish for salmon. She taught me about the wildlife, the birds, the bats and marine invertebrates. They are all intricate pieces of the puzzle when it comes to salmon fishing. When we were fortunate to catch salmon, my grandmother showed me how to properly gut them. We would leave the remains for the wildlife. I remember returning the next day and finding signs of bears having devoured those leftovers. As a young girl, I was in awe of all the life along the river.

“Now, I love hiking the river and sharing those same experiences with my school-aged daughter and her peers. As I watch her practice the methods I learned at her age, it connects me to the memories and spirit of my ancestors. One day I hope my daughter carries on our family’s traditions and stories. I hope she will be able to inspire the next generation to embrace life outdoors by spending beautiful days hiking along a chosen riverbed searching for the perfect fishing hole.”

– Autumn Harris

Tabatha

“I wholeheartedly believe the solution to climate change is in empowering individuals and groups, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the power that communities can have in creating positive change. The outdoors has helped affirm these values and has shaped my life forever.”

– Tabatha Knudson

Photo credit: Arne Knudson

Delia

“Through hiking, I have become part of a group that feels like a family. We occasionally have our differences and argue at times, but we always come back together to do what we love: Spend time in nature, climb mountains and camp under the stars to escape the city life and breathe crisp, clean air. Even before I leave for a trip, I feel relaxed. It’s as if my mind starts the trip before my body does. I find comfort knowing that soon I’ll be sitting around the campfire sharing stories and food with fellow hikers.

“After my cancer diagnosis two years ago, I was sidelined from hiking. I realized how much it is part of my identity. I missed the rituals of planning a hike as well as bonding with others on the trails. I always met someone new. Those interactions, while brief, created wonderful memories. I'm slowly getting back to doing what I love. I'm starting with shorter hikes without much climbing. I see the light at the end of the tunnel: It involves hitting the trails again with my crew.”

– Delia Maldonado, co-op member since 2013

Photo courtesy: Delia Maldonado

Ashley

“There's a certain kind of quiet on the river that you can't get anywhere else. Everything just melts away and for a brief moment in time, you just are. No problems. No demands. Just you existing in this world as you were meant to be, and everything is right.

“For me, a member of the Quinault Indian Nation on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state, being on the river has special significance. Sometimes, when I'm wetting my line in the rivers of my ancestral homelands, I watch the mist rising among the cedars that are hundreds of years old and get chills down my spine. My ancestors fought for the treaty rights that allow me to fish here today and keep the river safe, and these trees were here to watch them too.”

– Ashley Nichole Lewis, as told to Lindsay VanSomeren

Photo credit: Matthew Guth

Ranice

“I was born in California but was raised in the woods of Snohomish, Washington. I grew up playing in the woods, riding horses and riding my bike. I certainly did not grow up going camping regularly. It wasn’t ever a family or summer tradition by any means, but I do remember camping a few times. My husband, Ricardo, who was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, didn’t spend much time playing in the woods or camping, but he did spend summers playing in the city or visiting family on the Virgin Islands. Fast forward to adulthood and parenthood. My husband and I wanted to create a new family tradition of camping at least once or twice every summer. We began doing this when our daughter was about 8 and our son was 2. We wanted to cultivate or provide them opportunities to play, hang out, explore and enjoy nature.”

– Ranice Innocent

Photo courtesy: Ranice Innocent

Kevin

“Whether you grew up in the concrete jungle or actual jungle, the outdoors has something for everyone. There isn’t a color of skin that qualifies you to enjoy skiing. There isn’t a ZIP code you have to be from to enjoy rock climbing. You don’t have to be a third-generation hunter to enjoy archery. I am a completely different person thanks to being outside, and I hope the same becomes true for you, too.”

– Kevin Frias, co-op member since 2016

Photo credit: Andrew Bydlon

Damon

“Being Asian American, specifically second generation, means being caught in between two worlds. On one hand, our ‘Americanness’ is always being questioned as we are frequently asked, ‘Where are you really from?’ On the other hand, we have lost touch with our heritage and are considered ‘too Americanized’ by our own kin. There is constant pressure to uphold the expectations of our parents but also to attain our individualism, something that is so lauded in American society. It can be a very lonely plane of existence when you feel like you never quite fit in. For me, rock climbing played a big role in helping me find my identity and my community. I created the @AsianBoulderingCrew Instagram page to enable Asian Americans across the country to see each other and know that there are folx like them that have the same ambitions and face similar challenges. I want to encourage others in the Asian American community to pursue their passions and achieve their highest potential, whether in climbing or in other pursuits.”

– Damon Yeh, co-op member since 2007

Photo credit: Eric Hian-Cheong, @erichc_photo on Instagram.

Molly

“Suddenly, my definition of the outdoors became constrained to those few miles near ADA-compliant bathrooms at the trailheads. Now physically challenged, I’ve been questioning my identity and relationship to the outdoors. Will I ever thru-hike again? Will I ever stand taller than the trees again? Will I ever be stuck in a rainstorm on the ridge of a mountain range again? Who can say?”

– Molly Schneider

Falan

“I’ve always associated running with escaping. I know that many people run for aesthetics and to stay in shape, but that was never a big motivating factor for me. I’ve been running since I was in middle school. I played on the girls’ basketball team in New York City where I grew up. Running was part of our conditioning. The good players had to play all four quarters, so I was always a runner.”

– Falan Blake

Photo courtesy: Falan Blake

Sally

“My accident didn’t cause me to lose my love for being outside. Before, I eagerly pointed my skis down double-black diamonds and choppy terrain. I don’t think I‘ll ski that way again—and that’s OK. But stepping into my bindings makes me feel courageous again, like my mental bravery wasn’t lost.”

– Sally Francklyn

Photo credit: Reg Francklyn

Isha

“Time outside for me is all about breathing and about remembering and forgetting at the same time. I will walk through the park and I don't think about anything but right now and I can be in the moment. If I'm having any troubles or anything like that, just for a little while, I can forget and just focus on breathing and I need that. That's really important to me.”

– Isha Chari, co-writer of the short film series "The Trees Remember".

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