She Explores

Chevon Powell founded Refuge Outdoor Festival in 2018 to provide joy, community, connection, and refuge in the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and allies. This year's virtual festival will look a little different, but the same level of intention, care, and healing is imbued in each and every detail of the 3-day event.

In this episode, we'll hear about the importance of community in Chevon's life and how she's cultivating it from a distance, her philosophy for event planning, and how she strives to create a safer space for festival-goers.

Featured in this episode: Chevon Powell, founder of Refuge Outdoor Festival

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Raycon & Peak Scents

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

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Resources

• Refuge Outdoor Festival: Website | Instagram | Facebook
• Sundae Sermon: A Celebration of Black Folks
• Girl Trek
• Submit Your Appalachian Trail Story
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Peak Scents: Get 20% your order when you use the code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• Raycon: Get 15% off your order at BuyRaycon.com/explore.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Ad Music is by Josh Woodward, Swelling, & Lee Rosevere.

Other music is by Eric Kinny via Music Bed.

Pattie Gonia can come across as larger than life in her namesake social media platform. In person, strutting through the halls of an industry that is often stuck in its ways, Pattie is indeed real, showing up in the flesh as if to say, change is here, it’s been here. Don’t look away. Pattie is a drag queen who embraces change and working together to further community in the outdoors.

In this episode, we meet the Pattie Gonia team, talk about growth, creativity, and allyship, contemplate femininity, and dream a bit about what’s possible in the outdoors. As you listen, we hope you’ll reflect on teams in your own lives and the ways in which reaching out and working together have helped you fulfill a collective vision. Sometimes it feels like you have to do things all on your own, but often the most rewarding projects take shape when shared.

Featured in this episode: Wyn Wiley, Dayna Turnblom, Jenny Dugan, and Katie Nash

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Hoka One One, Peak Scents, & Betterhelp

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Pattie Gonia: Instagram
• Learn About the History of Drag
  • Ballroom 101
  • Watch How Do I Look (on Amazon)
  • Watch Paris is Burning (on Netflix)
• Some Videos featuring Pattie Gonia
  • Dear Mother Nature
  • Dear Humanity
  • Climb Every Mountain (features Julie Andrews look)
  • Pattie's first Outdoor Retailer
• Nonprofits Supported by Pattie Gonia in December 2019 fundraiser
  • Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii
  • Center for Marine Debris Research
  • Camp Brave Trails
  • The Children's Home Project
  • Ali Forney Center
• Black-led Nonprofits Supported by Pattie Gonia in June 2020 fundraiser
  • Girl Trek
  • Soul Trak Outdoors
  • Camp Founder Girls
  • Greening Youth Foundation
  • Outdoor Afro
  • Black Outside, Inc.
• Learn about the different Enneagram types
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Hoka One One: Watch Pattie's story, "Time to Take Action" and the rest of the Time to Fly series here.
• Peak Scents: Get 20% your order when you use the code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• Betterhelp: Get 10% off your first month by heading to Betterhelp.com/explore

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Ad Music is by Josh Woodward, Swelling, & Lee Rosevere.

Other music is via Music Bed.

Recharging in nature helps Ash Hobbs stay energized in their 9-5 work in the criminal justice system. It also gives Ash the space to think creatively and to shift their perspective when they're feeling stuck. In this week's episode, Ash helps us examine some of the constraints we place on ourselves and others — even when we don’t realize it.

We learn about the insidious ways implicit bias creeps into our indoor & outdoor lives, the motivation behind their photography project Discovering Gender, and more.

Featured in this episode: Ash Hobbs

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Oregon State University, & Peak Scents

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Ash Hobbs: Instagram  & Photography Portfolio
• Discovering Gender: Instagram & Website
• Books Mentioned:
  • Biased by Jennifer Eberhardt
  • Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
  • The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
• TED Talks Ash recommends:
  • Jennifer Eberhardt: How Racial Bias Works and How to Disrupt It
  • Bryan Stevenson:  We Need to Talk About an Injustice
  • Michelle Alexander: The Future of Race in America
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Oregon State University E-Campus: Visit ecampus.oregonstate.edu/explore to find the program that’s right for you.
• Peak Scents: Get 20% your order when you use the code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• Raycon: Get 15% off your order at BuyRaycon.com/explore.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Ad Music is by Josh Woodward, Swelling, & Lee Rosevere.

Other music is by Eric Kinny via Music Bed.

Whether running an ultramarathon, talking about recovery from her eating disorder, fighting for racial equity, or mentoring youth at Explore Austin, Rocío Villalobos practices patience, not perfection, as she achieves progress.  

In this special episode, we meet up with Rocío at Westcave Preserve in Texas and hike down to a beautiful grotto. We also get to hear the trailer for the new Ravel Media podcast, "Underneath it All" at the start of the show.

Featured in this episode: Rocío Villalobos

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Oregon State University, Danner, & Peak Scents

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Rocío Villalobos: Instagram & Website
• Explore Austin
• PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources)
• Native Women Running: Instagram & Website
• Native Women's Wilderness: Instagram  & Website
• Westcave Preserve
• National Eating Disorders Association
• Subscribe to Underneath it All: Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Oregon State University E-Campus: Visit ecampus.oregonstate.edu/explore to find the program that’s right for you.
• Peak Scents: Get 20% your order when you use the code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Trail 2650 at Danner.com

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan, Kai Engel, Swelling, & Lee Rosevere

Nicole Jackson is an environmental educator, birder, and co-creator of Black Birders Week. She's also dedicated to connecting people to the environment and each other. As a girl, nature nurtured Nicole growing up on the east side of Cleveland, and much of her career is built around returning the favor.

Throughout our conversation, Nicole gifts us with nature lessons and shares how she's grown into herself as a natural leader and advocate for developing a lifelong relationship with nature.

Featured in this episode: Nicole Jackson

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Oregon State University, Danner, & Peak Scents

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Nicole Jackson: Instagram & Twitter
• Articles Featuring Nicole
  • PBS: Nicole Jackson | Environmental Educator
  • Portland Audobon: Reflections from Black Birders Week
  • Newsbreak: Being Seen and Heard During Black Birders Week
• She Explores Episode: Black Birders Week is Forever
• National Parks Conservation Association
• Children & Nature Network
• Resources: Child Abuse
  • AACAP Child Abuse Resource Center
  • National Children's Advocacy Center: Resources
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Oregon State University E-Campus: Visit ecampus.oregonstate.edu/explore to find the program that’s right for you.
• Peak Scents: Get 20% your order when you use the code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• Danner: Learn more about the Trail 2650 at Danner.com

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan, Kai Engel, Swelling, & Lee Rosevere

Because environmentalism should be inclusive of both people and the planet. Leah Thomas, founder of IntersectionalEnvironmentalist.com, and Kristy Drutman, the podcaster behind Brown Girl Green, use the power of their platforms to help us rethink what it means to be an environmentalist in 2020.

While the fight for environmental justice isn’t a new one, it’s not one that’s historically been talked about enough within the environmental movement. But we can't separate the fight for racial equity from the fight against climate change, and the need to link the two only become more urgent as time passes. 

In this episode, Leah Thomas and Kristy Drutman share their knowledge and help us reflect on the tools we have to become advocates, too.

Featured in this episode: Leah Thomas & Kristy Drutman

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Sierra Designs, Tilley, and Danner

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Women Featured on the episode:
  • Leah Thomas: Instagram & Website
  • Kristy Drutman: Instagram & Website
• Intersectional Environmentalist: Instagram & Website
• Listen to Brown Girl Green Podcast: Apple Podcasts & Spotify
• Green 2.0 Report
• Articles Referenced:
  • Vogue:  Why Every Environmentalist Should Be Anti-Racist by Leah Thomas
  • Huffington Post: We Don't Have to Halt Climate Action to Fight Racism by Mary Annaïse Heglar
• Additional Helpful Articles
  • Sierra Club: Racism is Killing the Planet by Hop Hopkins
  • Scientific American: Redling Practices Increased Climate Change Burden in Minority Neighborhoods 
• She Explores Landing Page
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Sierra Designs: Learn more about the Reach Out Campaign.
  • Learn more about Big City Mountaineers
• Danner: Learn more about the Trail 2650's
• Tilley: Get 15% off your order by using code EXPLORE at checkout; expires July 31, 2020.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan, Lee Rosevere, & Kai Engel

Ashleigh Thompson is an indigenous archaeologist. She's also a runner, climber, photographer, and lifelong learner. Ashleigh's woven her many interests together and is actively building a life that is true to her values. In this episode, we talk about the importance of uplifting indigenous archeologists in the field, the life-long influence her grandmother and running has had on her life, coping with stress through the outdoors, sobriety, and more.

Bio: Ashleigh Thompson is a Red Lake Ojibwe tribal member and PhD Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Arizona. Her favorite place is outside, where she runs, hikes, climbs, and more for healing and happiness. 

Featured in this episode: Ashleigh Thompson

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Danner

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Ashleigh Thompson: Instagram
• Podcasts We Recommend Centering Indigenous Voices:
  • On the Land: Website
  • All My Relations: Website
• Learn more about indigenous archeology
• Learn more about Native American Boarding Schools
  • Death by Civilization: The Atlantic
  • Unspoken: America's Native American Boarding Schools - PBS
• Trail Running
  • Make Trail Running Fun
• Resources for Sobriety
  • The Temper
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Danner: Learn more about the Trail 2650 at Danner.com

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan & Lee Rosevere

Danielle Belleny is a wildlife biologist, member of BlackAFinSTEM collective, and co-founder of Black Birders Week, a movement created in response to the Central Park birdwatching incident. In this episode, we’ll hear from Danielle about her love of birds, her path to becoming a wildlife biologist, and the powerful force that is Black Birders Week.

Featured in this episode: Danielle Belleny

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Salomon, Peak Scents, and BetterHelp

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Danielle Belleny: Instagram & Twitter
• BlackAFinSTEM: Links!
• BlackAFinSTEM: Instagram & Twitter
• #BlackBirdersWeek: Instagram & Twitter
• #BlackWomenWhoBird: Instagram & Twitter
• Science News Article featuring Danielle Bellany: "A #BlackBirdersWeek Co-Founder Aims to Amplify Black Nature Enthusiasts"
• Articles about #BlackBirdersWeek
  • The Cut: "Black Birding is About Hope"
  • National Geographic: "Everyone Can Watch Birds"
• STEM Diversity: By the Numbers
• 2014 National Geographic Article: "Colorful World of Birding Has Conspicuous Lack of People of Color"
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Salomon: Learn more at Salomon.com
  • Featured in midroll: Chelsea Murphy aka She_ColorsNature
• Peak Scents: Get 20% off your order using code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month by visiting Betterhelp.com/explore.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan, Lee Rosevere, & Swelling

We want to leave room in your week and your podcast feed for Black Lives Matter. Escaping to the woods, while restorative and wonderful for reflection, won’t effect change. This is a time to listen and learn. This is a time to amplify Black voices. This is a time to vote, to donate, to sign petitions, to march, to protest. This is a time to support Black businesses, educators and organizers. Pay it forward. There’s a whole lot of power in all of those things, especially if we’re all committed today, tomorrow, and every day after.

We compiled some resources, books to read, podcasts to listen to, and Black women and women-led organizations to uplift and support. This is by no means a complete list, but it's a start.

Resources: 

Ally Resource Guide: This guide includes: 1) Where to register to vote 2) Ways to donate 4) Petitions to sign 5) Reps & offices to contact 6) Antiracism resources to listen to, read, and watch 6) Other Antiracism resources

Antiracism for Beginners

75 Things White People Can Do for Racial Justice

Antiracism Resources for White-Led Organizations 

Rachel Cargle’s Monthly 30 day Course: The Great Unlearn

Listen:

Our Spotify Playlist of Podcast Episodes for Education 

Books to Read:

These Books Can Help You Explain Racism & Protests to Your Kids (via New York Times)

An Antiracism Reading List (via New York Times)

Me & White Supremacy by Leyla F Saad (purchase even if you find a PDF out there)  

Awesome Twitter thread on Black-owned bookstores 

SUPPORT/AMPLIFY/FOLLOW Black Women and Black Women-led Orgs in the Outdoor/Environmental Space 

Note - please give them space and don't DM them right now with your questions. The Ally Resource guide and books should help. So does google! Invest in them, support their work, and if you learn something - consider paying them.

Businesses, Nonprofits, & Organizations

• Brown Girls Climb: Website & Instagram
• Black Girls Trekkin’: Website & Instagram
• Melanin Base Camp: Website & Instagram
• Outdoor Journal Tour: Website & Instagram
• Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge: Website & Instagram
• Girl Trek: Website & Instagram
• Outdoor Afro: Website & Instagram
• Refuge Outdoor Festival: Website & Instagram

Awesome advocates, athletes, outdoor enthusiasts:

• @teresabaker11
• @jitterbug_art
• @themirnavator
• @she_colorsnature
• @thatgirlshont
• @sadorawellness
• @bleavitt8
• @badgal_brooky
• @_lassosafroworld
• @drsianproctor
• @herhopness

Questions? Join us in the She Explores Podcast Facebook Group

Music in this episode is by Kai Engel using a CC by A license

We’re heading into summer and parks and trails and beaches around the US are starting to open up again amidst the pandemic. As hikers, paddlers, climbers, runners, we crave time outside, but we also have a responsibility to do so in a way that respects the health of others and the land we’re on. We hear from four women who can help guide us in the right direction as we step out into this strange, familiar world. 

Featured in this episode: Katie Boué, Nadia Mercado, Favia Dubyk, Angela Howe, Laura Borichevsky, and Lora Straub

Hosted & Produced by Gale Straub

A production of Ravel Media

Sponsored by Salomon, Peak Scents, and BetterHelp

Join the She Explores Podcast community on Facebook

Visit She-Explores.com & Follow Us on Instagram

Resources

• Women Featured on the episode:
  • Katie Boué: Instagram
  • Angela Howe
  • Nadia Mercado: Instagram
  • Favia Dubyk: Instagram
  • Laura Borichevsky: Instagram
  • Lora Straub: Instagram
• CDC Guidelines: Visiting Parks & Recreational Facilities
• Women on the Road Podcast: Website
• Recreate Responsibly: Website
• The Outdoor Advocacy Project
• Surfrider Foundation: Website
• Surfrider's Expert Panel: Guidance on Beach Recreation
• Surfrider's Guide to Solo Beach Cleanups
• Melanin Base Camp: Website & Instagram
• She Explores Landing Page
• Ravel Media

Sponsors and Discount Codes

• Salomon: Learn more at Salomon.com
  • Featured in midroll: Laura Borichevsky aka @howsheviewsit (and host of our sister podcast, Women on the Road!)
• Peak Scents: Get 20% off your order using code EXPLORE20 at checkout at PeakScents.com.
• BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month by visiting Betterhelp.com/explore.

Episodes air weekly on Wednesdays-- subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode.

Music is by Meydan, Lee Rosevere, & Kai Engel