Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Resources

For Kentucky's Outdoor + Environmental Community

Affinity Groups + Programs

Black Women Kayak + - KY (BWWK+ is for African American Women who love to kayak and much more. We’re a group of avid believers first, kayakers, hikers, bikers, goal seekers, fitness enthusiasts, and outdoor adventurers! BWWK+ focuses on defying a myth of what African American Women will and won't do when it comes to some sports.)

Becoming an Outdoors Woman (The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program (BOW) is an international program sponsored in part by the KDFWR and other partners including Kentucky State Parks and the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation. BOW is designed primarily for adult age women interested in building confidence and outdoor skills relevant in hunting and fishing.)

LGBTQ Social and Adventure group: Louisville (This group is geared towards anyone who identifies with the LGBTQ+ label and shares interest in enjoying the company of others in various settings.)

Outdoor Women of Louisville (The mission of this group is to join positive adventurous women around Louisville who love the outdoors together for trips, hikes, paddles, runs, rides, walks and much more. Events will be both local and destination events, lasting a couple of hours or over a long weekend.)

Outdoor Afro-Kentucky (Outdoor Afro is a community celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature through recreational activities such as camping, hiking, biking, birding, fishing, snow tubing — and more!)

Black, Brown, Indigenous, Persons of Color Led Nonprofits & Small Businesses

Adelante (A nonprofit with a mission to empower Hispanic/Latino youth to achieve their dreams and contribute as creative and educated world citizens.)

Black Soil (A social enterprise with a mission to reconnect black Kentuckians to their legacy and heritage in agriculture.)

Black In Appalachia: (A group working to highlight the history of African-Americans in the development of our region and its culture. Through research, local narratives, public engagement and exhibition, this project aims to raise the visibility and contributions of the Black communities of the Mountain South. This project is a community service for Appalachian residents and families with roots in the region.)

Camp Bespoke (A majority black owned modern ecotourism development providing a differentiated camping experience in Williamstown, KY with unique lodging accommodations and curated authentic experiences.)

Explore Kentucky Initiative (A Black-owned and led outdoor oriented social enterprise dedicated to inspiring Kentuckians and visitors to the Commonwealth to engage in an active lifestyle fueled by outdoor adventure while preserving the natural resources of our 120 counties.)

Friends of Cherokee State Historic Park ( A non-profit organization formed in 2008 to support, protect, preserve, and highlight Cherokee State Historic Park. Cherokee situated on the banks of Kentucky Lake, adjacent to Kenlake State Park was open from 1949-1963 as Kentucky’s only state park for its African American population during the Jim Crow Era.)

Kentucky Native American Heritage Museum (Founded in 1999 to promote understanding of North America's Indigenous People from both historic and contemporary perspectives, through collection and dissemination of information about their histories, cultures, beliefs, and expressive arts; their existing communities, lifestyles, occupations and ways; and their past and ongoing contributions to Appalachia's and our nation's cultural weave.)

Laurel County African American Heritage Center (LCAHC works to preserve African American history in Laurel County, Kentucky.)

Russellville Urban Gardening Project ( An urban gardening/farming program located in Russellville, Kentucky. Since 2012, RUGP has expanded to include partnerships with Kentucky State University, University of Kentucky, Logan County Extension 4-H, the City of Russellville, and Russellville Independent School. The three-acre garden sits in the middle of the African American community.)

Sun-Up Initiative (A coalition of community members who are working in partnership with local and state organizations to promote Racial Justice in Corbin and beyond. SUI was formed after a community reckoning of Corbin’s identity as a sundown town in the aftermath of the 1919 Corbin Race Riot.)

Centered on Youth

Adventure Crew (A Ohio based non-profit organization dedicated to connecting Cincy and NKY teens with nature through positive, engaging, and free recreation, education and conservation activities.

Hike it Baby: Lexington + Louisville + NKY (Hike it Baby branches are real life communities created to help families get outside, hiking with birth to school age kids.)

Louisville ECHO: Louisville is Engaging Children Outdoors (A grant-funded outdoor education and recreation initiative managed by Jefferson Memorial Forest and the Natural Areas Division of Louisville Parks & Recreation that is focused on improving equitable access to the outdoors for Louisville youth and families.)

Yes Arts Youth ( A out-of-school time community arts program for young people aged 5-18. Yes Arts Youth partners with local teaching artists and arts organizations to coordinate high-quality arts classes and camps and raises funds to ensure accessibility of programs.)

Thought Leaders + Folx Putting in the Work:

Ashley Smith (Co-founder of Black Soil.)

bell hooks (critically acclaimed/award winning author, professor, feminist, and social activist.)

Briana Blanchard (Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition Board Member.)

Casey Hill (An adventure racer based out of Lexington, Kentucky that explores Kentucky by bike, boat, and foot. She is active in KYMBA, Women of AR and is an advocate for getting more women confident in outdoor disciplines and engaged in their associated communities.)

Gerry Seavo James ( DEI+ community outreach organizer, Founder of Explore Kentucky, social artist, & photojournalist.)

Kurt Mason (First African American USDA district conservationist in Kentucky.)

Dr. Nancy Dawson (Published writer, historian, farmer, educator, & Frederick Douglas Encyclopedia editor.)

Trevor Claiborn (Co-founder of Black Soil, KSU Extension Assistant, & Farmer Brown Tha MC.)

Cultural Sites + Places of Interest

Camp Nelson National Monument (Established as a supply depot and hospital during the Civil War for the U.S. Army, Camp Nelson became a large recruitment and training center for African American soldiers (USCTs), and a refugee camp for their wives and children. Thousands of enslaved people escaped to this site with the hope of securing freedom and ultimately controlling their futures by aiding in the destruction of slavery.)

Cherokee State Historic Park (Cherokee situated on the banks of Kentucky Lake, adjacent to Kenlake State Park was open from 1949-1963 as Kentucky’s only state park for its African American population during the Jim Crow Era.

Col.Charles Young Birthplace (The birthplace of Charles Young, an early African American graduate of the United States Military Academy and the first black colonel in the U.S. Army. Young was born into slavery in Mason County, in 1864. He received an education in Ripley, Ohio where he graduated at the top of his class. In 1883, Young was admitted to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where he later endured hazing and racial prejudice, but became the third African American to graduate from the prestigious institution.)

Hotel Metropolitan (Restored 1908 historic hotel hosted famous African-American sports figures and entertainers, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and B.B. King, prior to desegregation. The African-American heritage museum is a "Save America's Treasures" project.)

Red River Gorge (Native Americans were the first ones to live in the gorge, often taking residence in its abundance of rockshelters. They were hunters, gatherers, gardeners, and farmers. But they did not have written languages, so there are no history books for us to read about their time. Archaeology helps fill-in these gaps by studying the places these people lived and the things they left behind. Oral traditions of contemporary Native Americans also tell us about the lifeways of their ancestors.)

Advocates

Appalshop (Their mission is to enlist the power of education, media, theater, music, & other arts to: document, disseminate, & revitalize the lasting traditions & contemporary creativity of Appalachia. Tell stories the commercial cultural industries don’t tell, challenging stereotypes with Appalachian voices & visions. Support communities’ efforts to achieve justice & equity & solve their own problems in their own ways. Celebrate cultural diversity as a positive social value. Participate in regional, national, & global dialogue toward these ends.)

Josephine Sculpture Park (JSP is committed to advancing social justice and cultural equity. We envision JSP as a space where everyone feels safe and welcome, and a place to play, create, and heal together.)

Kentucky Conservation Committee (KCC provides a trusted voice of the public in Kentucky’s capitol and throughout Kentucky, effectively advocating for protection, restoration and sustainable use of natural resources for the equitable benefit of all citizens in our Commonwealth.)

Kentuckians for the Commonwealth (KFTC is statewide organization working for a new balance of power and a just society. As we work together we build our strength, individually and as a group, and we find solutions to real life problems.)

Kentucky Rural Urban Exchange (Since 2014, RUX has developed and supported Kentucky’s creative leadership. Each year, the steering committee selects a RUX cohort of 75 leaders in the arts, agriculture, community development, health, and business. The cohort is diverse, representing at least 25 counties and varied experiences of age, expertise, sexuality, gender, race, geography and origin, culture, and class.)

Red River Gorge Climber’s Coalition (Our vision is to build and maintain a strong grassroots organization to provide the public service of ensuring that ample, quality outdoor rock climbing opportunities are available to meet the needs of current and future climbers. Recognizing that climbing access is a privilege, not a right, the RRGCC seeks to promote responsible climbing and strives to build and maintain positive relationships with public land managers and private land owners who have control over climbing areas.)

National Organizations + Initiatives

Diversify Whitewater (Founded by Lily @chasing.bluebird & Antoinette @antoinetteleetoscano in Ft Collins, CO // we work to make paddling more accessible for BIPOC + allies.)

Indigenous Women Hike ( Founded by Jolie Varela, IWH is a collective of Indigenous women reconnecting with their ancestral homelands.)

Latino Outdoors (An organization with a mission to inspire, connect, and engage Latino communities in the outdoors and embrace cultura y familia as part of the outdoor narrative, ensuring our history, heritage, and leadership are valued and represented.)

Melanin Base Camp (Join us as we work together to increase representation and opportunities for people of color in outdoor adventure sports. Along the way we won’t shy away from sensitive topics (race and gender) but we’ll do so in a way that creates a safe space for people with marginalized identities. Join the movement and help us #diversifyoutdoors!)