Founder & CEO of Outdoor Afro, Rue Mapp

Rue Mapp, the founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro joins the show today to discuss her career and the rise of her incredible organization from beginning as a passion project to becoming a national movement with 40,000+ members. As a competitor, Outdoor Afro has become the nation’s leading, cutting edge network that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature and Rue opens up on the origin and evolution of the company.

Following a career in corporate America, Rue opted to place herself into a field that she loved in the outdoors and built her passion project on the side while also gaining a competitive insight into the world that is outdoor recreation. Without ever losing sight of her desire to reach black men and women everywhere using her most authentic self, Outdoor Afro grew into an extension of Rue and allowed for total clarity in her mission to anyone and everyone that became affiliated with it.

We explore some incredible concepts within this discussion including; the therapeutic ways in which nature can help us all (5:15); how Outdoor Afro has not had to deter from its mission or identity during the difficult times in 2020 (8:55); the ways in which nature is able to act as an equalizer to all walks of life and backgrounds (10:55) and how “healing hikes” were born from this ideology (13:20). While learning about the history of Outdoor Afro and how it went from a passion project into a business (17:50), Rue also explains the ways in which she sees herself as a competitor (23:30) and how that has driven both her career and the company to historic heights. Rue sheds light on what she believes the future of Outdoor Afro looks like (30:50) and her big “Glamp In” Gala that will raise funds for the company happening online Saturday, September 12th(33:30).