Changemakers

We’re working to make the outdoors more inclusive; here’s how you can help

“I want to create safe spaces outdoors. I want people to feel comfortable and un-triggered.”

— Mercy M’fon Shammah

Out There is working to shift the definition of “outdoorsy.”

We believe you don’t have to be athletic, able-bodied, or cisgender to be outdoorsy. You don’t have to wear high-tech clothing or use fancy gear. You don’t have to summit mountains or paddle raging rivers. And you don’t have to be white.

We’re working to rewrite the narrative through the stories we tell and the guests we invite on the show. And this week, we’re doing something additional.

Dec. 1 is Giving Tuesday, and we’re raising money.

Twenty percent of the money we raise this week will be donated to Wild Diversity, an organization dedicated to making the outdoors safe and welcoming to all.

Wild Diversity facilitates outdoor adventures, workshops, and education, with the goal of creating a sense of belonging in the outdoors for the BIPOC and LGBTQ communities.

The rest of the money we raise this week will support individuals who are helping change the narrative.

Out There is an independent production, and we operate on a shoestring budget.

Society often glorifies projects that are labors of love. But when a podcast is a labor of love, it excludes a lot of people from participating. If you can’t pay competitive wages, not everyone can afford to come on board, no matter how valuable the experience they gain.

This isn’t just true for Out There; it’s true for the media industry as a whole. It’s a broken system, and as a small, underfunded production, we find ourselves constantly grappling with how to avoid being a part of the problem.

We want to do our best to be a part of the solution, not the problem. So we’re coming to you today with a heartfelt request.

If Out There brightens your day, and if you want to help make the show truly accessible to all, please make a contribution today.

Eighty percent of your gift will go toward paying our staff and future interns better. And 20 percent will go to Wild Diversity, to support their work in making the outdoors more inclusive.

You can make a donation in any amount; no gift is too small.

If you’re already supporting Out There on Patreon, THANKYOU! If you’re able to make an additional one-time donation this week, you’ll be doing even more to support fairness in the workplace and in nature.

There are several convenient ways to give…

If you prefer to mail us a check, please make it payable to Out There and mail to PO Box 2331, Laramie, WY 82073.

A Conversation with Wild Diversity’s Founder

On this bonus episode, we talk with Mercy M’fon Shammah, the founder and executive director of Wild Diversity. We hear about her vision for the organization, her dream of creating a world in which groups like Wild Diversity are no longer necessary, and her efforts to make the outdoors safe and welcoming for all. Plus: how YOU can help!

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