BIPOC-Centered Wilderness First Aid Certification Class (January 2022)

Class report:

January 2022 The Bronze Chapter hosted its first class as a non-profit! Learners completed 20 hours of of in-person, on-point education. Led by Dr. Eddie Hill (our excellent instructor from MEDIC Solo who graciously traveled from Virginia to support us) we received clear information, role played scenarios, and had deep and thoughtful conversations that never happen in Euro-centric classes — and don’t often even happen in BIPOC classes. The days were long and Chef Wayne Johnson kept us going with a culturally-relevant menu that included gumbo, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, salad, veggies and cookies.

Seeing these melanated faces and hearing the stories of folx who came to learn life-saving outdoor skills in this Black and Brown-centered environment was soul-filling and meaningful for all involved. Advocating for underrepresented communities of color in outdoor recreation through bridging the Adventure Gap is what The Bronze Chapter is about.

Gratitude to MEDIC Solo. Instructor Dr. Eddie Hill. Chef Wayne Johnson. Justice Outside. JoAnn Welling. Photographers Rebecca Ross and Freya Fennwood who visually documented the class. You supported Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color in the movement towards a more racially-just outdoors.