Chad Brown is a filmmaker, a veteran, and an advocate for youth and for wild spaces; he's also the founder of a couple of non-profits—Soul River Inc. and Love is King—which have provided a pathway for youth, veterans and others to build a connection to what, in some ways, is one of the last frontiers in North America, the Arctic and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. His work over the past couple of years with Love is King has focused specifically on that area, and on providing an opportunity for creatives and other BIPOC leaders to experience the refuge and the issues facing it through a kind of immersive experience with the Gwich'in Nation.

We met Chad at his home near Portland, OR, and ended up having a long chat. Having just returned from the Arctic, Chad was getting ready to head back up there soon. In this first part of our conversation with Chad, we chat about his various projects in Alaska, as well as his introduction to flyfishing—something that happened, in some ways, just in the nick of time for him and which helped him overcome some significant personal struggles.

To learn more about Chad Brown's conservation work and his documentary filmmaking and photography, visit loveisking.org and chadocreative.com.

Visit www.theflyfishjournal.com to become a subscriber and gain access to our expanding digital archive and web store deals.

Thanks to Decked and Patagonia Fly Fishing for making this episode possible.