The words Black Adventure Crew may conjure up Marvel-esque visuals of superheroes using their otherworldly abilities to take down villains, but that isn’t the case here. The story is actually better than that.
Zenovia Stephens, her husband George, and their three sons ages 11, 8 and 5 are playing their role in dismantling the systemic issues widening the diversity gap of the great outdoors in Huntsville, Ala. Since 2020, Black Adventure Crew and the family’s nonprofit Black Kids Adventures have made green spaces more accessible and affordable for the nearly 700 people who have enjoyed their events over the years. The Stephens’ Instagram page is a colorful vision board inspiring other Black families to create everlasting memories together while enjoying the diversity of nature. They’ve ventured through the world’s longest cave after learning about Stephen Bishop, an enslaved man who was the first cave guide. They’ve glided down the Tennessee River in kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. They’ve mined for crystals in Arkansas and expressed awe at underground waterfalls.
“What do you do when something you desire doesn’t exist? You create it,” Zenovia Stephens wrote on an Instagram post celebrating Black History Month. “In our community, we grow together, take up space together, and help cultivate a generation of kids that will love nature, take care of nature, and share it with their friends and families.”
While nature is a resource available to everyone of all races, U.S. Census Data and research studies paint a picture that is mostly white. The lack of diversity of the great outdoors, often called the “nature gap,” came more to light in 2020, when a pandemic slowed the world down and a racial reckoning erupting across the nation. A 2022 trend study from the Washington, D.C. nonprofit Outdoor Foundation states that 72 percent of outdoor participants are white. U.S. Census Bureau foresees the nation’s population diversifying within the next 20 years both in race. If the racial demographics of outdoor participants doesn’t follow the same trend, the Outdoor Foundation believes outdoor participation will dip from 54 percent to 40 percent by 2060.
The lack of diversity isn’t caused by Black people’s displeasure of the outdoors, according to many nature enthusiasts. The country’s forests, lakes and rivers have been the site of racial violence throughout history. Racial microaggressions from white outdoor participants can keep some Black people indoors. One of the most viral examples of racism outdoors happened in May 2020, when a white woman called the cops on Black bird watcher Christian Cooper at New York’s Central Park. Cooper now has his own show with National Geographic called “Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper.”
When Stephens started Black Adventure Crew’s Instagram she wanted to show other Black families in Alabama that they didn’t have to travel far to enjoy the outdoors. They frequently visit the Green Mountain Nature Preserve close to their home. Recently the family was wowed by wildflowers that blanketed the grounds of Monte Sano State Park. The family also shows how kids can find joy from their home. Stephens’ sons laugh as they splash in puddles or make angels in the golden ginkgo tree leaves that carpet their yard in the fall. Raising her sons to explore nature has nurtured their confidence which they use to express themselves in school, which is something Stephens said she didn’t possess as a child.
“Our parenting and our adventures have instilled in them the belief that they belong wherever they are, just the way they are,” Stephens said. “These lessons are important because as they grow and explore the world independently, they may find themselves in situations where they feel unwelcome or encounter challenges. A solid foundation assures them they belong wherever they are and can give them the strength to push through obstacles and overcome challenges.”
Managing Black Adventure Crew gives Stephens a front seat at the evolution of diversity in nature over the years. She’s seen an increase in Black participation outdoors thanks to social media and an increase in BIPOC-focused organizations. But she said more work needs to be done to increase Black people’s accessibility to green spaces, which include parks, forests, greenways and other places where nature can be enjoyed.
“While I don’t have all the answers, if everyone who recognizes a problem in their community takes action to solve it, we will continue to move in the right direction,” Stephens said.
Black Adventure Crew tackles this issue by providing monthly outdoor activities for the whole family including paddle boarding along the Tennessee River and campouts at the Black-owned Selah’s Acres. Kids show up in their colorful costumes during their Halloween hikes. Adults learned about the Black history of Huntsville during their urban walk in February.
One of the most popular events is Black Kids Adventures’ annual low-cost Family Adventure Camp. In April 2021, Black Kids Adventures served seven families at Camp McDowell in Nauvoo, Ala. That same month, Stephens set a goal to host a camp at a national park in an effort to increase Black representation. Less than seven percent of national park visitors are Black.
Since then, about 51 families have increased their exposure to the outdoors through their camp. And in December, Stephens achieved her dream after collaborating with a Black park ranger at The Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont in Tennessee. She said the families enjoyed a two-mile waterfall hike, molded clay pottery and learned how to safely start a campfire. Some kids even earned their Jr. Ranger Badge.
“Our mission is to expose, engage, and empower families through outdoor adventures,” Stephens said. “We hope that once they attend a camp with Black Kids Adventures they feel inspired to continue seeking out family activities centered around the outdoors and we hope they feel equipped with the information to help.”
Black Adventure Crew has given Toya Poplar a place to explore with her inner child after attending a Family Adventure Camp in 2022. Poplar felt disconnected from nature after her father died when she was seven years old. She was raised to frolic in nature. She grew up in a small Michigan town where her father guided her down the trails that webbed the forest and along the 27-miles of Great Lakes shoreline. Poplar’s father viewed the outdoors as a sanctuary to share his wisdom. Nature became a part of his artistic expression. Wood burning and leaf rubbing crafts were some of his favorite activities to do with his daughter.
When she moved to Huntsville in 2002, the allure of the greenery caught her eye. But she was unfamiliar with the terrain and didn’t know about the treasure trove of waterfalls, caves and trails around her. She beamed with excitement when she first read about Stephens and her family in an article in 2020.
“I was like, ‘I don’t know who this girl is, but she’s just a woman after my own heart’ because I don’t know if I’ve met a Black girl who loved the outdoors the way I was passionate about the outdoors,” Poplar said.
In 2022, Poplar, her husband and six children were able to get a sponsorship to attend Family Adventure Camp. Poplar said Black Kids Adventures alleviate many challenges that may intimidate new explorers. The Stephens’ had already mapped out where to go and what to do. This takes the guesswork out of planning activities that are new to people venturing into the woods for the first time. But more importantly, being around other Black families gave Poplar and her family space to explore their new terrain – and themselves – authentically.
“It was like a family reunion out in the woods,” Poplar said.
During the camp, Poplar relinquished herself from the duties of being a Black mom who felt she had to overpolice her sons’ actions in order to protect them from the racial misconceptions placed on Black men. Her sons weren’t seen as threats as they showed off their brawniness during a wood-chopping competition. Their high-energy wasn’t seen as a nuisance on the trails, but an opportunity to explore their leadership skills as they aided the grandmothers who were hiking with them. Poplar said the camp gave her space to see the diversity of her sons’ gifts.
“It’s like I got to see my boys through new eyes because one of them has a really amazing sense of direction, the other one is just hardwired to help. Another one is so skilled at putting things together,” Poplar said. “Having kids who experienced trauma early on in life, it’s not often that I hear my boys affirmed for being gentlemen – for being so helpful. It was so awesome to be around a collective of people who recognize their natural abilities.”
Nature became a big, green therapy office when Poplar and her family practiced forest bathing during one of their hikes. They paused to fully immerse themselves in the beauty of the outdoors. The breeze rustled the leaves and brushed against their skin. A cool mist settled on their bodies heated from the trek. Poplar felt herself go back in time to when she experienced nature with her father.
“It literally felt like worship, like everybody was quiet,” Poplar said. “I shared with the group how a wise man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, and I feel like nature is one of the greatest inheritances that my dad left for me. It felt like I was somehow introducing them to my dad.”
These moments of connection and community heighten the experience of Black Adventure Crews’ other events. This year, the Stephens’ family started a quarterly program called Ujima Outdoors where Black men and boys are empowered through project management. Last year, Stephens started Moms Need Adventure Too to give women an opportunity to connect with the outdoors outside of their families. She said it’s beautiful to witness women enjoy the journey of motherhood together during their hikes.
“As mothers, it’s easy to pour everything you have into your kids and partners while forgetting to do the same for yourself. That applies in many ways and many things,” Stephens said. “While we’re cultivating our families love for nature and outdoor adventure, it’s important that we continue cultivating our own.”
Poplar felt the power of acceptance and grace at a Moms Need Adventure Too event in June. She has a health condition that affects her mobility. So when Stephens asked the women to set their intention for their hike, Poplar expressed an intention to honor her body.
Women she hadn’t met — some of them first time hikers — stood by Poplar’s moment of courage by honoring their bodies as well. The sisterhood still makes Poplar emotional.
“To see people be like, ‘Oh, my God, I can take off my mask. I can lay down armor’ was awesome,” Poplar cried. “I laid in bed all week to be strong enough for that hike. But I didn’t realize that my weakness would be strength to the women who were there. It gave us all permission to not be in competitive mode. We just enjoyed the journey.”
If you’d like to join a journey with Black Adventure Crew, you can check out their list of events on their website or follow them on Instagram.