The Ultimate Outdoorswoman

06/17/21 • 33 min

How Harriet Tubman could change your perspective on who belongs outdoors

You probably learned about Harriet Tubman in school growing up — how she led slaves to freedom on the underground railroad. But she was a lot more than an activist and freedom fighter. She was a daughter, wife, entrepreneur — and a talented outdoorswoman.

On this episode, we explore Tubman’s relationship with nature; we unpack how that history shapes the way Black Americans engage with the outdoors today; and we show how a closer look at Tubman could offer new perspectives on who belongs outdoors.

FOR FURTHER LISTENING:

Check out our "Black & Outdoorsy" playlist for stories celebrating Black experiences outdoors
Hear the Following Harriet series

How Harriet Tubman could change your perspective on who belongs outdoors

FOR FURTHER LISTENING:

Check out our "Black & Outdoorsy" playlist for stories celebrating Black experiences outdoors
Hear the Following Harriet series

Previous Episode

The Thru-Hike of Misery

When Paul Barach embarked on his first thru-hike, he was expecting a life-changing experience. The Shikoku Pilgrimage, which traverses Japan’s most rural island and takes visitors past 88 Buddhist temples, promised to be a spiritual and meditative journey, as well as an epic adventure.

But the reality wasn’t so nice.

On this episode, Paul tells the story of what happens when the adventure of a lifetime doesn't turn out the way you'd hoped. How do you make peace with the worst parts of hiking, when those parts never end?

Next Episode

Don't Take 'No' for an Answer

My mother always told me I shouldn’t take “no” for an answer. If you don’t get what you want, she said, keep pushing. Growing up, I took that advice to heart: whatever the task at hand, I charged forward with dogged determination. But in 2018, a bicycle accident changed my outlook on what it means to back down, and I started standing up for myself in a new way.

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