The white elephant in the room
The great outdoors. Soaring in popularity, welcoming a new generation of younger hikers, campers and ramblers, but one of the burning topics forcing its way onto the agenda is the awkward issue of race.?
As thousands flock to the Kendal Mountain Festival from Thursday to celebrate one of the few boons of Lockdown - an appreciation of life outside - we also need to shine a light on an industry that is trying to adapt for new or rising audiences.?
“There is a lack of awareness among some communities,” was Haroon Mota’s diplomatic start when I spoke to him, but his follow up hit harder, “But the reality is that they still associate the outdoors as where white people go.”
Haroon stands out as a bit of a pioneer. He’s flying the flag for ethnic groups via organisations like Asian Hikers and the Active Inclusion Network. And he’s got a good story, running a marathon, hating it, but after his dad died in an accident he had an epiphany. He’s since done the six world marathons (the ‘World Majors’) - nine in total. He’s hiked to the basecamp of Everest, to Kilimanjaro and to Peru.?
Importantly, during the process of his marathon training he was struck by the lack of diversity in the smaller runs - even in his home of Coventry where almost one in five are Asian British and one in ten are Black British.?
Haroon, along with the others I spoke to looking to change this, Dwayne Fields at #WeTwo and Nav Bakhsh at the Glasgow based Boots and Beards, agree that culturally, for many ethnic groups the outdoor lifestyle just isn’t the norm. But during Lockdown, everyone faced the same challenges, stuck at home with limited travel. They also experienced the benefits of the outdoors and although there was clearly a Lockdown spike due to staycation, with 38% of Brits who went camping ‘newcomers’ a new wave has been introduced to a way of holidaying and activity that they had never considered.?
Whether it’s culturally alien or not, all agree that the lack of diversity in campaigns and brand marketing doesn’t help. “The national bodies need to invest more to challenge stereotypes,” says Haroon.
And are brands doing enough? “There is a lot of dialogue, but not enough action,” he says.
“Brands have a responsibility to highlight people from unusual backgrounds,” says Dwayne. “Some communities from urban backgrounds don’t know where to start. They think they don’t have the money, they don't know where to shop, what the correct gear is,” which could highlight the opportunity to bring ethnic communities (authentically) into the fold.?
And it is important, not only for basic integration of communities but to challenge a health imbalance - we need these communities to benefit from the free nature on their doorstep.
But a warning came in the guise of ‘kits for pics’, where brands invite a group to an outdoor location like the Lakes, provide them with some FOC gear, get some photos and then disappear into the hills, never to be seen again.
“Things are changing, the outdoors is changing, slowly,” says Nav, “But we need to keep pushing the story to ethnic communities. You can have a good conversation on a hill walk. No phones. You’re breaking bread really in a group of people you don’t really know. It’s pulling people together.”
You can see the speakers at the events below:
Thursday 16 November, 16.00-16.30
Taking steps to go outdoors. Different voices and different perspectives, presented by The North Face and Sportsshoes
Polartec Bothy Stage, Basecamp, Kendal Mountain Festival
Haroon Mota joins Zahra Rose, Belal Ballali
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Sunday 19 November, 12.30 - 14.30?
Innov-8 Endurance Session
Kendal Leisure Centre
Friday 17 November, 12.45 - 13.30
‘Right to Roam: Would the Scotland model work?’ Presented by the BMC
Basecamp, Kendal Mountain Festival
One of Nav Bakhsh’s colleagues at Boots & Beards will speak at alongside BMC ambassador Ann-Marie and BMC Welsh Access Officer Eben Muse and Duncan Peake from Raby Estates to talk about the future of Right To Roam.
Saturday 19 November at 16.00 - 17.30
Phoebe Smith and Dwayne Fields of #WeTwo, presented by Craghoppers
Barrel House, Kendal Mountain Festival
Absolutely inspiring to see voices like Haroon Mota, Dwayne Fields, and Nav Bakhsh paving the way for inclusivity in the outdoors. It reminds me of what Maya Angelou once said, "In diversity there is beauty and there is strength." ??? It's crucial for brands to actively contribute to this change. On that note, there's an exciting sponsorship opportunity with the Guinness World Record for Tree Planting that might align with your values -- perfect for those looking to make a meaningful impact. Find out more here: https://bit.ly/TreeGuinnessWorldRecord ???? #ChangeMakers #BeTheChange
?? It's heartening to see leaders like Haroon Mota, Dwayne Fields, and Nav Bakhsh championing diversity in the outdoors! ??? As Maya Angelou wisely said, "In diversity there is beauty and there is strength." It's crucial for brands and organizations to support these changes actively. Can't wait to see how their discussions at the #kendalmountainfestival inspire action and awareness! ?? #DiversityInNature #OutdoorInclusion
Founder + Strategy Partner at Brandery. Experienced brand and business strategy consultant. Helping organisations to harness the power of brand to meet key strategic objectives and deliver commercial success.
1 年Did you make the trip Scott?