A “deeply inclusive” outdoor space for LGBTQ+ and people of color

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — For 16-year-old Zyshawn Gibson, snowboarding at the Big Snow American Dream indoor ski park in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was a welcome change of pace.

Gibson’s involvement in the ski park was made possible through the Hoods to Woods Foundation, a nonprofit based in New York and New Jersey that, according to its website, “brings inner-city kids into the outdoors through snowboarding. We are conducting activities to promote awareness of Throughout its 15-year history, Hoods to Woods has helped hundreds of underserved youth like Gibson develop new interests and outlets through snowboarding, said its co-founders. Omar Diaz estimated.

“It’s kept me from leaving the house,” Gibson told CNBC from a lounge room at the Big Snow complex. “It’s not the same as being out on the street and putting yourself at risk.”

The brainchild of Diaz and co-founder Brian Pawpaw, Hood to Woods is dedicated to providing new opportunities for teenagers and young adults from similar backgrounds. The group hosts multi-week programs in urban areas in two states.

The organization is just one of several across the country working to involve people of color in outdoor activities, including winter sports, where they are often marginalized and underrepresented.

According to the 2019-2020 participation survey released by Snowsports Industries America, the participation rate for white Americans was only 67.5%. In comparison, Asians made up 7.7% of participants, Blacks 9.2%, and Hispanics 14%.

Similarly, the National Ski Areas Association’s 2023 updated demographic survey found that white participants made up 88.1% of guests.

One factor contributing to this disparity is the high barrier to entry for these winter sports, considering the average cost of equipment and transportation. A similar study from Snowsports Industries America found that more than half of winter sports participants earned more than $75,000 annually in 2019-2020.

But organizations like Hoods to Woods are on a mission to break down these barriers.

The nonprofit was founded in 2009 by experienced snowboarders Pawpaw and Diaz as an effort to give back to the community by introducing young people to the outdoors through snowboarding.

“It was important to represent people who look like me and come from my environment, because when you’re out in the mountains and you might hear people talking, they look like you. Because we may not have,” Diaz said. “Even though I grew up in a city environment, the voices of the people around me are completely different in the mountains.”

The entire program is free for youth participants, including snowboarding lessons, transportation, and meals. Pawpaw and Diaz raise money to cover travel and food expenses.

The organization also accepts donations of gear and gifts, but Big Snow has been renting out its facilities for free to nonprofit organizations for years.

In addition to Hood to Woods, there are other nonprofit organizations in the United States dedicated to similar causes.

Edge Outdoors in Washington state, for example, aims to “address the invisibility of Black, Indigenous, and women of color in snowsports,” founder Annette Diggs told CNBC. Ta. The group is also working to include women from the LGBTQ+ community, including participants who identify as both transgender and queer.

“One of the unique things about Edge is that we work with the community, and many of our participants are taught by people in the community: Black and brown people,” she said.

Sierra Young, who is Black and has multiple sclerosis, learned adaptive skiing through a scholarship from Edge.

“I really appreciate the instructors listening to me and saying, ‘We want you to skate the way you want to skate and we want you to feel empowered.’ I was grateful,” she said. “Being in the same space as other BIPOC people was incredible.”

Meanwhile, Unlikely Riders, a Vermont-based nonprofit founded in 2020, plans to build an outdoor community center focused on people of color, and co-founder Abby Crisostomo said it He envisions it one day becoming a “radically inclusive space.”

Crisostomo estimates that in the four years since its founding, Unlikely Riders has hosted more than 145 events, donated 2,500 pieces of winter gear and provided free instruction to more than 570 community members. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, the group fosters a welcoming environment while introducing mountain biking to people of color and the LGBTQ+ community.

Small businesses like Skida and the folks at ToughCutie, which are owned by people of color, have supported the efforts of Unlikely Riders by donating gear and hosting events.

In addition to their mission of inclusivity, the co-founders of Hoods to Woods also emphasize the importance of community participant engagement and mentorship within the program, including support for financial literacy, college applications, and job offers. I emphasized.

“I saw children who had behavioral problems at school or at home make a 180-degree improvement because they were able to be in an environment where they could be themselves and think freely,” Pawpaw said. “For me, that was one of the most powerful things I’ve witnessed, not only as a human being, but also as a co-founder of this program.”

From Hoods to Woods, Diaz, Paw Paw and their volunteers, we have built many relationships with our participants. Some people return to volunteer after graduating from the program.

“This is the perfect combination,” Diaz told CNBC. “I’m so happy to be able to give back to young people, make a difference in their lives, and do it in a place I love. There’s no better way to give back.”

Miquan Chisholm, 27, was one of the first participants in the program 15 years ago. He is currently a dedicated volunteer in this effort. His daughter is now only 3 years old, but he envisions her joining the community one day.

“It changed my life. It changed my outlook on life. I never thought I would snowboard as a black person…and I fell in love with snowboarding,” he said. “‘Hoods to Woods’ has given me the confidence to try new things, be open-minded about things in life, and realize that there are many opportunities for people. ”