The Joy Trip Project

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is on its way from Alaska's Tongass National Forest to Washington D.C. Thanks to everyone at the Society for American Foresters, the USDA Forest Service, Alaska Geographic and so many others for making this amazing journey possible. #joytriponassignment #uscapitolchristmastree

By invitation, and under contract with the National Park Service, I was asked in 2024 to help organize a retracing of American history. So, I assembled a small group of storytellers to paddle a section of the?UpperMissouri River Breaks National Monument, in Montana, called the?White Cliffs. Two hundred and twenty years ago this summer, a band of explorers traversed this same stretch of land, part of what was once called the?Louisiana Purchase. Then President Thomas Jefferson had commissioned a team – known as the Corps of Discovery?to find a route through this territory, across the North American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. We commonly refer to this today as the?Lewis and Clark Expedition. You might be familiar with the story of?Merriweather Lewis?and?William Clark. As the leaders of a team that included more than 30 participants, these are the names we remember most. If we expand our view and look at the bigger picture, we learn that the Corps of Discovery also included a Native American woman named?Sacagawea?and an enslaved man, the chattel property of William Clark, named?York.

We're heading to Denver on August 16th for the latest live audience screening of Blackwaters Brotherhood in the Wild. Join us in a community celebration of equitable access to the outdoors in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy and YMCA of the Rockies https://lnkd.in/gp5eZubM Follow along for updates

This year marks the 220th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. From 1803 to 1805 this exploratory mission also known as the Corps of Discovery included an enslaved man named York. On a modern journey of our own, we aim to tell his story. #joytriponassignment

Dr. Carolyn Finney and I were excited to share our an evening of stories with the folks at the Denali Education Center at Denali National Park in Alaska. So honored to have these stewards of the environment travel from Anchorage and Fairbanks to be in the audience. We love partnering with non profit orgainizations to share our love of the outdoors and promoting board community engagement in wilderness preservation. #joytriponassignment

A Brief History of Black Cycling In the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, I suddenly find myself thinking about the international cycling scene. Forty years ago, I bought my first new racing bike,?a Raleigh Super Course, inspired in 1984 by the silver medal finish of?Nelson Vails?at the games in Los Angeles. As the first Black American to podium in Olympic cycling, Vails was a personal hero and I peddled that bike through a modest career in several triathlon races from the mid 80s into the early 90s. Though today I seldom pay attention to the progress of professional cyclists, an aspiring athlete has once again piqued my interest. On July 1st,?Biniam Girmay?of Eretria became the first Black African to win a stage of?the Tour de France.