On October 9th at 1pm ET, the Outward Bound Canada Training Academy for Outdoor Professionals will be hosting National Geographic Explorer, author, and freelance journalist, James Edward Mills, as he discusses the progress made towards closing the Adventure Gap and the work that still lies ahead!
Outdoor spaces should be a welcoming place for all of us, but not all of us can access these spaces equally. Equity-deserving groups are much less likely to seek recreation, adventure and solace in outdoor spaces due to the numerous barriers that they can be faced with. This is an issue that Black-American author James Edward Mills addresses in his 2014 book, “The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors.”
Over the last decade, much progress has been made to help close this divide. Many individuals, organizations and institutions have worked together in partnership to welcome a broader, more diverse cross-section of the public into outdoor spaces; however, much work still remains to create an enduring and sustainable system of land management that will encourage us as a whole to help protect land, air and water resources for generations to come.
In this webinar, Mills will explore the obstacles and opportunities to help further shrink this Adventure Gap.
Click HERE to purchase James’ book, “The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors”
ABOUT JAMES EDWARD MILLS
James Edward Mills is a freelance journalist and National Geographic Explorer, who specializes in telling stories about outdoor recreation and environmental conservation. Since 1989, he has worked in the outdoor industry as a guide, outfitter, independent sales representative, writer and photographer. James contributes to numerous print and online publications, such as National Geographic Adventure, SUP, Women’s Adventure, The Guardian, Outside magazine and others. He is the author of the book The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors, as well as the cowriter and coproducer of the documentary film An American Ascent.
In 2016, James was named a Yosemite National Park Centennial Ambassador for his work reporting on Buffalo Soldiers and their role in the creation of the National Park Service. In 2024, he received the H. Adams Carter Award for Excellence in Mountaineering Literature from the American Alpine Club. Currently, James is a member of the adjunct faculty at Western Colorado University and the University of Wisconsin’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, where he teaches an undergraduate course on diversity, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation and public land management called Outdoors For All.
At Outward Bound Canada, our vision is to ensure that everyone has access to high quality, impactful outdoor education experiences that help them to realize their potential. Our funded programs, like the Outward Bound Canada Training Academy, provide fully funded and free programs designed to help participants develop social and emotional competencies and skills, focusing on those underrepresented in the outdoor sector.
By hosting James, it is our hope to not only showcase more diverse voices not traditionally heard from within the outdoor sector, but to also highlight where further gaps need to be filled in order to make the outdoors a more welcoming, accessible and (most of all) diverse place!
