This past week, the Outing Club announced their BIPOC Gear Grant, through which they will finance new outdoor gear for BIPOC individuals at St. Lawrence. The Outing Club would like to redistribute some of its resources in an effort to minimize the barrier of entry to Outdoor Recreation. Information regarding the BIPOC Gear Grant and the application can be found in your SLU email. You can also find more information on the Outing Club’s Instagram account @sluoc. 

Following the Outing Club’s announcement of their grant, I talked with Outing Club member, Lily Sullivan.

Maddie Olaynack: What exactly is the race gap in outdoor activity?

Lily Sullivan: Right now, the outdoor industry is composed mostly of white folks. It would take more than the few sentences I have here to outline each factor contributing to that reality, but in essence, any systemic and institutional forces that are working to subjugate marginalized communities are also working to keep them out of the outdoor industry. Wealth is a big part of this—when you consider that the average income of BIPOC in America is significantly lower than that of whites, it’s pretty clear how attaining the gear, transportation, and lessons that are needed to become proficient in outdoor recreation would be more difficult for BIPOC to attain than for whites. There’s also the social construction and maintenance of the idea of outdoor recreation of a white activity, and there’s the environmental trauma that African Americans, specifically, have historically endured in outdoor settings in America, along with a whole host of other factors. These forces have worked to create and maintain the current reality of the outdoor industry as a largely white space.

MO: How do you think the race gap in outdoor activity is present here on SLU’s campus?

LS: The outdoor recreation race gap that exists at SLU’s campus is, in large part, pretty much a direct extension of the reality outside of campus. For the most part, students who are active in outdoor communities on-campus already had skills, gear, and experience when they got to SLU. From there, those students easily fall into outdoor communities (such as the Outing Club and Outing Program) that provide them with even more resources and opportunities to get outside. Likewise, students who come to campus without experience and gear often feel intimidated, unwelcome, or unprepared in those spaces—and so the cycle of discrimination in outdoor spaces is perpetuated at SLU.

MO: What were your main goals in creating this grant?

LS: We, the Outing Club, want to use the resources available to us to try and reduce the race gap in outdoor activity. We believe that at SLU, we have a real opportunity to create an outdoor recreation community that is diverse and welcoming. There are, of course, many other changes that need to take place in order to really change the culture at SLU, but we believe that the redistribution of financial resources—in this case, funding gear—is perhaps the most direct way to achieve this goal.

MO: Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

LS: Any current BIPOC SLU students. If you’re not on campus this semester, but you’re still enrolled at SLU, you are eligible.

MO: How will you ensure that non-BIPOC individuals won’t be rewarded with this grant?

We have clearly laid out the guidelines about who can and cannot apply. For the time being, we are operating on the honor system—however, if people abuse the system, we will work with Thelmo to handle the situation.

MO: What are the criteria that are determining the individuals that will be awarded this grant?

LS: We are looking for thorough, specific, and realistic applications from individuals who have a vested interest in exploring outdoor recreation. Our goal is to help as many people as possible.

MO: Who is on the panel for deciding the recipients of this grant?

LS: The Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the Outing Club, which consists of me (Lily Sullivan), Keziah Hoyt, Gunnar Nurme, Sophie Robie, Natalie Muskin, Harlow Punderson, Hannah Frye, Izzy De Buy Wenniger, and Sam Cowles, will work with SLUSAF Treasurer Mikayla Lathrop and Thelmo’s Diversity and Inclusion chair Juan Pablo to decide the recipients of the grant.

MO: Did you collaborate with any other clubs or organizations here on campus to create this grant?

LS: The grant was created by OC members, but we have been working with Thelmo to implement it. We have also reached out to other organizations on campus to help get the word out.

MO: Are there any other goals or ideas that the OC has planned to continue to fight the barriers created by the race gap in outdoor activity?

LS: This grant is part of a broader initiative by the Outing Club to create a more welcoming and diverse outdoor community at SLU. This fall, we launched a number of diversity and inclusion initiatives, including a “Miles of Change” campaign which raised $1,437 that we donated to Melanin Base Camp, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Outdoor Afro, and Black Outside, Inc. We also hosted a donation-based Halloween 5k for Outdoor Inclusion, which raised $360 for Outdoor Afro. We funded and hosted a screening of the “Diversify the Outdoors” section of the No Man’s Land film festival in the Winston room. Additionally, we’ve made an effort to lead trips that require little to no gear or prior experience, and we’ve led collaborative trips with other organizations on campus.

This fall, we have found ourselves significantly limited by our inability to lead trips in any capacity due to the school’s Covid restrictions. However, we are continuing our effort to diversify the outdoors. In May, we will launch our annual Expedition Grant initiative, which provides funding for SLU students to travel and adventure in the outdoors. This grant is open to any and all SLU students who don’t live in the OC—but we’d like to encourage members of historically marginalized communities to apply, and their applications will be given priority. We’re also working with the club ski team to host a “learn to ski” program at Titus mountain for SLU students. Finally, I’d like to say that as an organization, we always welcome suggestions from the community about diversity initiatives, and we’re actively looking to collaborate with any clubs who have an interest. Feel free to reach out to me at lksull17@stlawu.edu with ideas!