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As Black women and women of color, we have been socialized into believing that we should not take up space in the outdoors. Yet, research increasingly shows that being intentionally connected to nature can be profoundly healing. Nailah Blades is a life and leadership coach, who helps women tap into their power. Her high-touch coaching approach connects women of color to the outdoors so that they go from feeling invisible to being able to take up space in all facets of their lives. Nailah runs a community-based organization, Color Outside, which hosts retreats and a range of other activities to foster a connection to nature. In this episode, Nailah talks about her coaching journey and how she came to add a natural component to her offering. We hear about what a relationship with a coach might look like, the importance of having coaches with diverse life experiences, and why you have to find a coach who understands your lived reality. As Black women, there are numerous challenges we face that are not imagined, but rather systemic issues that can wear us down. We deserve to take up space in places we 'don't belong,’ and the work Nailah does goes a long way in helping women feel more comfortable not only in nature but in their own skin.  

Key Points From This Episode:

• Get to know today’s guest, Nailah Blades, and the work that she does. 
• It is common for Black women to feel like the outdoors is not a space they belong in. 
• How Nailah came to work to help Black women reclaim their space in the outdoors. 
• Nailah's insights into what the Black community is like in Utah. 
• How long Color Outside has been running for and the community's structure. 
• Details about how Nailah got into coaching after feeling unfulfilled. 
• Coaches will not tell you what to do; they will give you the tools you need. 
• What a coaching relationship typically looks like and the average cost for a session. 
• There are coaches for all different aspects of your life, so find one that suits your needs. 
• It is important to work with a coach that understands your lived experience. 
• How Nailah is normalizing being outdoors for her children. 
• Wilma's experience of being introduced to the outdoors when she went on exchange to France at 16. 
• The story of how Wilma learned to ski when she started dating her now-husband and how she's fallen in love with it since. 
• It is important to try new things without the expectations of having to be good at it. 
• Saying yes to outdoor adventures allows you to see parts of the world you wouldn't ordinarily see. 
• Plans Nailah has for Color Outside going forward. 
• Where to contact Nailah and learn more about Color Outside.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Nailah Blades

Nailah Blades on Instagram

Nailah Blades on Twitter

Color Outside

Wilma Mae Basta on Instagram