Dream Wired
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Celebrity
  • DramaAlert
  • Gossip
  • Movie
  • TV
  • Music
  • Comics
  • Shop
  • Home
  • Celebrity
  • DramaAlert
  • Gossip
  • Movie
  • TV
  • Music
  • Comics
  • Shop
No Result
View All Result
Dream Wired
No Result
View All Result
Home Celebrity

We Outside: Here’s How This Organization Helps HBCU Students And Alumni Embrace The Great Outdoors

rmtsa by rmtsa
June 10, 2024
in Celebrity
0
We Outside: Here’s How This Organization Helps HBCU Students And Alumni Embrace The Great Outdoors
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


You might also like

‘Love Island’s’ JaNa Craig Slams Ex Amid Explosive Breakup

Marlon Wayans Reveals Why NBC Rejected ‘The Wayans Bros.’

Can a Fashion Show Be a Homecoming? House of Aama Thinks So – Essence

Photo Credit: HBCUs Outside Instagram

“We Outside” takes on a different meaning for the Black student members of HBCUs Outside. Over the past four years, the non-profit organization has been creating opportunities for Black college students to connect with nature. HBCUs Outside provides access to outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, and camping, and instructors to build a community among current HBCU students and alumni that goes beyond their years on campus.

HBCUs Outside employs student ambassadors who are trained to establish sustainable outdoor clubs on their respective campuses in partnership with the National Park Trust. Since its inception in 2020, the organization has started clubs at six HBCU campuses, including Tennessee State University, Howard University, and Florida A&M University, and it aims to expand to the remaining 102 schools.

This goal has become closer in reach after HBCUs Outside became one of the latest recipients of a grant from the “One More Hour” initiative by the social dating app Hinge. The social impact initiative aims to get Gen Z to tackle loneliness and add more in-person connections by providing grants to social groups and organizations “helping Gen Z find belonging and community in person.”

A recent 2023 advisory from the US Surgeon General drew attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, often referred to as the “epidemic of loneliness,” and its negative impact on health. Given the data showing that Gen Z is receiving “1,000 fewer hours of in-person connection time every year” compared to past generations, the work of HBCUs Outside becomes even more important.

HBCUs Outside Founder and Director Ron Griswell discussed what inspired him to found this organization, telling ESSENCE, “In 2011, while I was attending NCATSU (North Carolina A&T University), I had the opportunity to join a service-learning experience in Belize. From the time I landed, waiting a little over an hour for the rest of my group in sweat-inducing heat, I felt as though I was suddenly living my National Geographic-inspired childhood dreams… I was inspired by the people I met, who had a very simple and relaxed way of living, connected to each other and the place they lived, not things.”

But it wasn’t just about discovering the beauty of nature, Griswell revealed. “Reflecting on those memories, I realized that the magic of the experience was in the Community – the relationships, shared moments of togetherness, and sense of belonging.

 With this spark that grew into a flame of passion, my main mission heading back to NCA&T after the Spring Break trip was diving into what made the service-learning trip magical – connecting with others through outdoor experiences. However, after returning to campus,             I became frustrated by the lack of resources my college had for outdoor recreation.”

“Several years later, I had traveled all over the country leading outdoor excursions… As I thought about the issues that I faced trying to start an outdoor program on my campus, I figured that I would benchmark against other HBCUs to see who was doing it right,” Griswell said. “To my dismay, I found that the lack of outdoor recreational resources was prevalent in most HBCUs. I then told myself that the solution I was working to solve wasn’t just for a single university, but the entire ecosystem of our historically Black colleges and universities – thus, HBCUs Outside was founded.”

Howard University architectural student Roshell Grant Wesley is an HBCUs Outside participant and told ESSENCE, “Community within the outdoors has always been important to me, so when I learned about HBCUs Outside from previous group ambassadors, I was drawn to apply. The group harnesses the ability to establish a relationship with the outdoors for those who don’t already have one and expands the Community for those who do. I’ve found it especially rewarding to see students conquer new things and gain a newfound sense of confidence as a result.”

For Spelman College environmental science major Zora Neale Walton, being an HBCU Outside ambassador provides an opportunity to contribute to making outdoor activities more accessible to all. “I’ve found as a college student in a big city that access to nature is a quiet luxury and not as available as it may seem. My goal as an HBCU Outside ambassador is to bridge this gap and foster a more inclusive and accessible outdoor culture at my HBCU,” said Walton.

Ultimately, when it comes to the importance of closing the loneliness epidemic, Griswell said, “I believe natural spaces are a critical element in combating loneliness because of the multitude of benefits, from mental health to physical wellness, that nature provides. Even more so, being able to gather around a fire under the stars or convene for a hike are all things we’ve been doing since the dawn of time. Still, somewhere along the way, we started to distance ourselves from those activities – we need a reconnection.”

“Being in Community with others definitely combats loneliness, and more holistically, I believe that nature has the power to not just connect us to others, but also to our past, ourselves, and the outdoors.”



Source link

Tags: AlumniEmbraceGreatHBCUHelpsHeresOrganizationOutdoorsStudents
Share30Tweet19
rmtsa

rmtsa

Recommended For You

‘Love Island’s’ JaNa Craig Slams Ex Amid Explosive Breakup

by rmtsa
August 2, 2025
0
‘Love Island’s’ JaNa Craig Slams Ex Amid Explosive Breakup

Source: Neilson Barnard / Getty JaNa Craig has spoken out following her breakup from Kenny Rodriguez and amid allegations on social media that her ex is a “narcissist” and...

Read more

Marlon Wayans Reveals Why NBC Rejected ‘The Wayans Bros.’

by rmtsa
August 2, 2025
0
Marlon Wayans Reveals Why NBC Rejected ‘The Wayans Bros.’

Marlon Wayans recently alleged that if it were up to NBC, The Wayans Bros. never would’ve had one of the most iconic characters, John Witherspoon’s Pops. The gag...

Read more

Can a Fashion Show Be a Homecoming? House of Aama Thinks So – Essence

by rmtsa
August 2, 2025
0
Can a Fashion Show Be a Homecoming? House of Aama Thinks So – Essence

Designers Akua Shabaka and Rebecca Henry of House of Aama at NYFW 2022 (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images for IMG) House of Aama’s return to New York Fashion...

Read more

Diddy’s Legal Team Files Motion, Requesting Retrial Or Acquittal

by rmtsa
August 1, 2025
0
Diddy’s Legal Team Files Motion, Requesting Retrial Or Acquittal

On Wednesday, July 30, Diddy‘s legal team filed a new motion. This time, they’re requesting a retrial or acquittal on those prostitution charges he was found guilty of...

Read more

Why Danielle Brooks Was Forced To Have An Abortion

by rmtsa
August 1, 2025
0
Why Danielle Brooks Was Forced To Have An Abortion

Source: Medios y Media/Getty Images / Getty Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks is candidly confessing that she wasn’t sure about becoming a mother before she gave birth to her beautiful daughter,...

Read more
Next Post
Sony Pictures India Prods Sees Lada Guruden Singh Exit

Sony Pictures India Prods Sees Lada Guruden Singh Exit

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Browse by Category

  • Celebrity
  • Comics
  • DramaAlert
  • Gossip
  • Movie
  • Music
  • TV
  • Uncategorized

CATEGORIES

  • Celebrity
  • Comics
  • DramaAlert
  • Gossip
  • Movie
  • Music
  • TV
  • Uncategorized
No Result
View All Result

Recent News

  • Your Fan Letter to Eminem Could Appear in New Movie STANS
  • Evelyn Lozada & Shaniece Deny Betraying Tiffney Cambridge
  • Love Island USA’s Kenny Rodriguez Addresses Rumors, Shares Messages to JaNa Craig on Secret IG Account as She Begs Fans

Copyright © 2023 DramaWired.
DramaWired is a content aggregator and not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Celebrity
  • DramaAlert
  • Gossip
  • Movie
  • TV
  • Music
  • Comics
  • Shop

Copyright © 2023 DramaWired.
DramaWired is a content aggregator and not responsible for the content of external sites.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In