Question 10

It was an activist outing to southern Utah’s red rock canyonlands that turned me into a Sierra Club activist. Outings enable us to build relationship with nature. We’re not likely to protect what we don’t know and love. Outings also build community. To this day some of the people who were on that activist outing remain some of my primary colleagues inside the Sierra Club.

A healthy and robust outings program is an essential element of the future health of the organization. It’s an entry point for future activists Outings support the relationship of people with the other-than-human parts of nature. We should encourage but not artificially mandate their connection to activism as that original outing did for me.

The role of outings should be the main objective that the Sierra Club resuscitates. Not only was Sierra Club founded on this principle, I think it may be the most sustainable initiative that we have. Regardless of race, age, religion, sex, or occupation – we all inhabit and hopefully enjoy this Earth that we call home. 

Every action taken by the Sierra Club is to ensure that this human right does not become a thing of the past, and an act that every person has access to enjoy. Our goal should be to increase outings, so that members and non-members alike gain a better understanding and visceral response towards the works that the Sierra Club does to sustain our planet.

Our outings program serves four strategic purposes.

(1) It gets people out into nature, fostering environmental values and reminding us what we’re fighting for. This is directly worthwhile in its own right.

(2) It is a recruitment tool for potential members and future leaders. People who show up to hikes eventually go on to show up for other meetings and events as well.

(3) It provides a space where our existing leadership can (re)build shared trust and solidarity. This bridges back to the trust- and relationship-building efforts that I mentioned in response to question #2.

(4) It connects us to our organizational history, a reminder of what makes the Club special and what we fight for. Some of the Sierra Club’s distinct power comes from the depth and longevity of our contribution to the fight for environmental protections. The outings program has been a crucial part of the Club, dating back to the “High Trips” of the 1910 that were instrumental in campaigns to protect public lands.

The role of outings is important to fitting into the goals and objectives for Sierra Club. We are known for outings and that is the first introduction to our organization. I have met volunteers who became leaders because of outings. Sierra Club Florida offers a variety of outdoor experiences to both members and non-members of Sierra Club. Trips include paddling, hiking, biking, bird watching, and many other activities. All trips have experienced, trained, certified leaders. 

Each of Sierra Club Florida's groups, from the Everglades to the Panhandle, conducts its own outings program. We have been able to recruit more diverse members and leaders because of their interaction with our Outings program. I work very closely with our Group and Chapter outings leaders to support their efforts and recruitment.

Two of the goals of the 2030 framework center explicitly on outings—underscoring the unique power that equitable access to nature offers in developing the conservationist mindset. My experience in New York City, a densely packed urban setting, has made this all too evident. Many disadvantaged communities have poor access to nature within the city, and do not have the opportunity to leave the city to engage with nature. I believe that equitable access to nature and the conservationist mindset should run through all Sierrans. By giving impacted and underserved communities the opportunity to connect with nature, and to help them realize opportunities for healthy ecosystems around them, we can build a strong, diverse base. Furthermore, the importance of developing outings programming for people in cities is especially important considering that 89% of the U.S. population is estimated to live in urban areas by 2050.

My hope, if elected to the Board, is that I can focus on strengthening the Club’s outings program, but specifically doing so in a way that serves those who have been historically neglected. Furthermore, I think it is then important to build programming opportunities for follow-up. That is, once we connect people with nature, we must have immediate ways that they can engage to protect and preserve it. This can result in a sustainable form of grassroots power that can be used to fuel local and national victories, and generate new, diverse leaders in the Club.

Outings are a useful tool for gaining new members by bringing people from all backgrounds—individuals of varying abilities, ages and demographic groups—together as equals to explore and enjoy the planet. Rooted in its rich history, the Sierra Club’s role of leading outings provides opportunities to learn about ecosystems and fosters a connection to our majestic wild landscapes. The Club's outings program has enabled many to develop a passion for nature which leads to taking action to protect these sacred places.

The Club's inclusive outings program assures that outings leaders are trained to handle emergencies if they should arise which is above what many other outings groups offer. This gives confidence to those who are handicapped or otherwise compromised, who may not feel safe going alone or where safety is not a primary concern. Not only children, but also adults suffer from nature deficit disorder. Getting outside and connecting to nature is the necessary first step to promoting the Sierra Club goals of protecting native biodiversity and becoming an advocate for a clean, green planet.

Outings are key to Sierra Club’s history and our ongoing work. They are an excellent way to inspire and recruit people to become involved in environmental protection. Outings spark joy and love: people want to protect what they love.

Sierra Club’s Outdoors for All campaign work recognizes the immense benefits of accessing nature and seeks to remove barriers to outdoors access for diverse communities throughout the country. This important work helps deepen relationships, broaden our base, and better our world.

Outings are also a powerful means of educating policymakers, so they can understand and experience the impacts of the environmental legislation Sierra Club leaders work so hard to pass. In my own community, where urban oil drilling is rampant, local outings with impacted frontline community members are one of the most critical education tools we have. As part of the STAND LA Coalition with local environmental justice organizations, Sierra Club has helped lead outings with local leaders, who have then gone on to pass groundbreaking legislation that Sierra Club helped inspire. Outings were instrumental in uplifting community voices, and exposing conditions on the ground, leading to significant policy victories to end the practice of neighborhood oil drilling in Los Angeles.