RefugeFest is back and better than before! Join us in-person, virtually, or both for outdoor recreation, community building, & fun!
Now in its fourth year, the Refuge Outdoor Festival is the only Black, Indigenous, People of Color-centered camping festival in the Pacific Northwest and online!
New to exploring the outdoors? Expert in all things outdoors? Just want to kick it? This event is for you! Choose your adventure- you’re free to do as much or as little as you would like. All ages, experience levels, and people are welcome (BIPOC and allies).
Whether you campout or camp-in, there is something for everyone!
Each weekend will include:
– Workshops & Activities
– Performances
– DJs
– Art
– Swag & Giveaways
– Loads of learning, information and connections!
RefugeFest Campout
Aug 13-15th, 2021
Squire Creek Park
We are thrilled to host Refuge in-person at the beautiful Squire Creek Park in Arlington, WA. Who’s ready? We ready! Ready to gather again and enjoy time together in community. COVID is still real out here. We will be enacting COVID precautions, including social distancing, so in-person spots are limited. Our guidelines are shared on the Refuge FAQ page , check it out to see how we can work together to make this as safe an experience as possible.
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Friday
2:00pm- 10:00pm Check-in
5:00pm- 7:30pm Outdoor Recreation & Workshops
7:00pm- 8:30pm Welcome Experience
9:00pm- 11:00am Evening activities
Saturday
8:00am- 4:30pm Outdoor Recreation & Workshops
5:00pm- 7:00pm Partner Market
7:30pm- 9:00pm Concert
10:30pm- 12:30am Silent Disco
Sunday
9:00am- 11:00am Outdoor Recreation & Workshops
11:00am- 12:00pm Closing Circle
RefugeFest Camp-in
Sept 17-19th, 2021
Hopin platform
While we are excited to gather in person, we know that everyone does not have time and resources to attend in person. So, we are thrilled to continue to host our virtual camp-in. Back for the second year, RefugeFest Camp-in will host a variety of engaging workshops, artists, films, and more that highlight BIPOC connecting with the outdoors.
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Friday
3:30pm- 6:00pm Affinity Group & Workshops
6:30pm- 8:00pm Welcome Experience
8:00pm- 9:00pm Evening activities
Saturday
9:00am- 5:00pm Outdoor Recreation & Workshops
5:00pm- 7:00pm Partner Market
6:30pm- 8:00pm Concert
8:30pm- 9:30pm DJ Battle
Sunday
9:00am- 11:00am Outdoor Recreation & Workshops
11:00am- 12:00pm Closing Circle
TICKET INFORMATION
Step 1: Select your campout or camp-in festival pass (Options: Sustainer, Early Bird, Youth)
Step 2: Select your lodging (Options: Tent site, RV/Campervan)
Step 3: Select payment (Options: Eventbrite, PayPal, Venmo*, Check) *If you’re not paying via Eventbrite, visit www.refugeoutdoorfestival.com/tickets for payment instructions.)
All registrants who wish to join the campout in-person must read and sign our electronic Release Agreements prior to arriving onsite.
If you do not wish to sign, unfortunately you will not be permitted to attend this event. This holds true for all attendees.
By purchasing a ticket you agree with the following:
* Golden Bricks Events reserves the right to refuse admission or to eject a pass holder for behavior likely to cause damage, injury, or nuisance. This is a hate-free, safer space. If a pass holder’s behavior is unbecoming of policies that Golden Bricks has set forth, ejection will be immediate. Intoxication or aggressive behavior is unacceptable and will result in ejection from the park. Those ejected from the venue will not be readmitted to the event and tickets will not be refunded.
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Community partners: Y-WE, RVC, Girl Trek
In-kind: Patagonia, MSR, Therm-a-Rest
Sponsors: Washington Trails Association, The Wilderness Society, The Mountaineers, Bike Works, Seattle Audubon, Mountain to Sound Greenway Trust, Evo, WA State Parks Foundation, REI, WA State Parks, Feathered Friends, Friends of Seattle Waterfront, National Parks Conservation Association, The Nature Conservancy
Fri Aug 12 2022 at 03:00 pm to Sun Aug 14 2022 at 12:00 pm
Location
Tolt River-John MacDonald Park | Carnation, WA
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Refuge Fest is the premier camping experience geared toward Black, Indigenous, People of Color (ALL are welcome)! About this Event
REFUGE IS BACK! #LeetsMeetOutside
You BELONG outside. Join us for the 5th annual Refuge Outdoor Festival campout. 3-days and 2-nights filled with opportunities to feel liberated and free. Leave rejuvenated and connected.
ALL bodies are welcome at Refuge– Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Allies, Queer, Trans, Disabled. New to exploring the outdoors? Expert in all things outdoors? Just want to kick it? This event is for you! This event is to build community and take refuge. While no space is safe for everyone; we design for emotional and physical safety, accessibility, connection, joy, and belonging. All ages, all experience levels, all people are welcome, sorry only service animals.
Schedule to include a variety of activities including justice conversations, physical recreation opportunities at various levels, healing practices, art creation, and musical experiences. AND of course our silent disco & partner market. Choose your adventure, do as much or as little as you would like.
You have options! Camping at Refuge Fest isn’t just in a tent. We offer a number of camping options including open field camping, private car camping, RV or Campervan sites, REI pre-set camping, and 6-person yurts with electricity.
www.refugeoutdoorfestival.com Follow us on Instagram
What to expect:
Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Allies
A Safer Space
Outdoor Recreation Activities & Workshops
Musical Experiences
Community Service Project
Camping Options
Food & Camp Cooking Options
Resource & Vendor Market
Art
Fun
Did we mention fun?!!!
Do as much or as or as little as you would like.
This is for you if you:
Are a BIPOC person that wants to build community with other BIPOC folks.
Are a white person that respects, supports, and want to build community with BIPOC.
Have an interest in the outdoors but don’t know where to start.
Love the outdoors and are looking for a community to share it with.
LOCATION
Ancestral lands of the Snoqualmie. Prior to white settlement of the Snoqualmie Valley in the late 1850s, this area was home to several large permanent winter villages occupied by the ancestors of members of the Snoqualmie Tribe. The 575-acre Tolt-MacDonald Park and Campground is located in Carnation at the confluence of the Snoqualmie and Tolt Rivers in the beautiful Snoqualmie Valley. Because this is high-quality salmon habit, during the fall, visitors can observe chinook salmon spawning in the river below while eagles and osprey soaring above.
King County’s Tolt- MacDonald Park & Campground
Carnation, WA
TICKET INFORMATION
Step 1: Select your festival pass (Options: Adult, Kid, Youth)
Step 2: Select your lodging (Options: Field Camping, Private Car Camping, RV or Campervan, REI Pre-set 2-person Camping, Yurt)
Community partners: Y-WE, Urban Wilderness Project, EPOC, Rainier Valley Corps, Outdoor Asian, Brown Girls Climb, Girl Trek, Brown Girls Write, Co3 Consulting, Climbers of Color
Sponsors: Washington Trails Association, The Wilderness Society, The Mountaineers, US Forest Service, Bike Works, WA State Fish & Wildlife, Seattle Audubon, National Wildlife Federation, Mountain to Sound Greenway Trust, Evo, Conservation NW, WA State Parks Foundation, REI, WA State Parks
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Who can come?
A: All are welcome, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and allies. This event is meant to be a safer space for People of Color outdoor enthusiasts and novices to celebrate and explore in one amazing weekend.
Q: Can children come?
A: Yes. Kids under 8 are free. We are building an intergenerational event and community. Bring your kids and grandparents- all are welcome.
Q: Are children free?
A: As of 2021, we have changed our child policy for our in-person event. A ticket purchase is required for children six years of age and older. Children age five or younger are free with a ticketed adult.
Q: Can I bring my dog?
A: Only service dogs are allowed at Tolt-MacDonald Park during the festival.
Q: Is this event ADA accessible?
A: We strive to create an inclusive and accessible event for all to engage and enjoy; building safer outdoor experiences for our community is our mission. Accessibility encompasses many diverse needs. We are committed to continuing to make Refuge as accessible as possible including questions in the registration. If other accommodations are needed, please email [email protected].
Q: I would love to camp but I don’t have gear?
A: No problem. With the support of our partners and sponsors we have gear that attendees can access for the weekend; including tents, sleeping bags, and more. Gear requests can be submitted until August 8, 2021.
Q: Will the event be canceled if it rains?
A: No, the festival will happen rain or shine.
Q: Are there bathrooms? Showers?
A: There will be a number of portable restrooms and pit toilets open at the event. Unfortunately, there will not be showers open during the event.
Q: Can I leave the festival grounds and re-enter?
A: Yes, re-entry is allowed.
Q: How are you addressing COVID risks during the campout?
A: We are continuing to monitor CDC and local guidelines. Closer to the event we will publish our COVID-19 Safety Plan here. Our plans will comply with the latest guidelines released by the Washington State Governor’s Office and Public Health, the City of Carnation & King County.
Q: Do we have to be vaccinated to attended the festival?
A: No. While we highly encourage people to get vaccinated, we understand and respect each individuals right to make this decision.
Q: What will we be doing?
A: We are curating a list of activities and workshops during the festival but we encourage you to participate as much or as little as you would like.
Q: Will the gear be provided for activities?
A: Most activities do not require gear. We are encouraging you to bring your own gear onsite such as bikes and water activity items.
Q: What should I bring?
A: There are a number of lodging and activity options to choose from for your festival experience. Things to consider. You will need to bring your own camping supplies based on your lodging selection and food needs. Field camping is in a open field, which means you need to bring your own tent, sleeping bag, and so on. Dress and plan according to the activities you would like to participate in and the weather.
Q: How do I get there?
A: We recommend carpooling with other festivalgoers, there is free parking onsite. Additional transportation options will be posted in early July.
Q: Can I cook onsite?
A: Yes, you will need to provide your own food and specialized equipment. We will have a camp kitchen where you can sign up to use a stove, knives, cutting boards, and so on. There will be food for purchase onsite.
Q: Are you still accepting sponsors?
A: Yes, we actively seek opportunities to collaborate with organizations and individuals whose missions, values, and work align with our own. Reach out to us at [email protected].
Q: I can’t attend. How can I donate?
A: Thank you so much for donating to Refuge Outdoor Festival. Planning this event isn’t cheap, but together as a community, we will make this event happen! Funds raised go toward supporting community access. Donations can be made via Paypal.
Q: I have another question/concern. Who can I reach out to?
A: Feel free to reach out to [email protected] for further concerns.
By purchasing a ticket you agree with the following:
* Golden Bricks reserves the right to refuse admission or to eject a pass holder for behavior likely to cause damage, injury, or nuisance. This is a hate-free safe space if a pass holder behavior is unbecoming of policies that Golden Bricks has set forth ejection will be immediate. Intoxication or aggressive behavior is unacceptable and will result in ejection from the park. Those ejected from the venue will not be readmitted to the event and tickets will not be refunded.
Don’t miss out on the fun.
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Where is it happening?
Tolt River-John MacDonald Park, 31020 Northeast 40th Street, Carnation, United States
Sundaes Outside: A Celebration of Black Folks will be held at Be’er Sheva Park this Sunday, May 15. The event will be an outdoor music and market space, featuring a number of performers and partners.
“Sundaes Outside was just really created to celebrate Black folks and nature, and create an experience for folks that come out to the parks on Sundays,” Chevon Powell, organizer of the event, said in an interview with the South Seattle Emerald. “But also just to check out the different ways we can be outside — which means you can be outside in your backyard, in your neighborhood, you can be outside in a state park, you can do lunch or recreation, you can camp.”
Golden Bricks Events, a small business working on different projects and events around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors, geared toward creating safe spaces for BIPOC folks in the outdoors. Powell founded Golden Bricks in 2018 to cater to communities in the Puget Sound area.
One of the first events Powell launched with Golden Bricks was the Refuge Outdoor Festival, a three-day camping experience geared toward People of Color and their allies. The event centers on community building and includes workshops and arts and other outdoor activities. The fifth annual Refuge Outdoor Festival will be held this year from Aug. 12 to 14.
“One of the things [in planning Sundaes Outside] was like, how do we get connected to the folks that are in that area” Powell said. “Because we do want it to be of service to that community there. And the outreach that we’ve been doing in the marketing has really been centered on South End-inviting.”
Powell says that while working down in South Seattle, Golden Bricks must be cognizant of the fact that the community is continuously under-resourced and under-connected, especially to outdoor spaces. So for all of their events, they are actually providing guests transportation from South Seattle to these other activities and state parks.
“We think it’s important to provide access so that there’s greater connections, and we understand that the Black community that has continuously been pushed down to the South End [is who] we want to serve,” Powell said. “Providing different ways to connect to nature is what we want to do.”
It has been a common fallacy that BIPOC are uninterested in spending time outdoors — however, it has actually been found that 70% of BIPOC participate in outdoor activities. The problem is not interest, but access due to socioeconomic status — only 23% of visitors to national parks are BIPOC. When BIPOC do participate in outdoor activities with higher barriers to access, spaces can often be unsafe, as has been the case for Powell.
“As an African American woman that had a traumatic experience in the outdoors, I want to create safer experiences for people that look like me,” Powell said. “I know that a lot of people that look like me go outside, so I also want to showcase them. But at the end of the day, there needs to be a narrative change around the outdoors. And if I can do anything to support that, and uplift that, that’s what I’m going to do.”
📸 Featured Image: (Photos: Golden Bricks Events with editing by the Emerald Team)
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Being among nature is known to be restorative. But while it might seem accessible to everyone, in the US the National Park Service found that — of the more than 300 million visitors a year to their parks — only about 25% weren’t white, despite minorities making up 40% of the population. That’s what an American woman named Chevon Powell has been working to change. Eilis O’Neill met up with her.
It’s hard to say how or why Chevon Powell was granted a rebirth so close to the beginning of her life. She was only 5 months old when her family’s Houston apartment burned down. She was rescued after suffering first- and second-degree burns on about 75% of her body.
At one point the Powell family was summoned to bid their baby girl farewell.
More than 35 years later, Powell has gone to plenty of places, just not the destination the medical staff at Hermann Hospital had feared.
Powell was released from Hermann on May 12, a date she counts as her “second birthday.” Her friends call it her “Phoenix birthday,” because she rose from the ashes like the mythical bird.
“I’ve been gifted a lot of life I wasn’t supposed to have,” Powell said. She had 14 surgeries by the time she was 15 years old. The last one unsuccessfully attempted to lower three toes in her right foot to the ground. Rather than try again, she decided to keep on moving.
Powell’s many travels landed her in Seattle, where last year she launched the Refuge Outdoor Festival, a three-day camping experience geared toward people of color and their allies. The event centers on community building and includes workshops and arts and other outdoor activities. The second edition will be held Sept. 27-29 at the Tolt-McDonald Park and Campground, near Carnation.
This year’s festival will be capped at 300 participants. People, including Powell’s parents, are flying in from other parts of the country, prompting her to contemplate holding similar events in other regions of the country in 2020.
The festival was inspired by Powell’s experiences at Camp Janus, which she calls “Burn Camp,” a therapeutic and recreational camp in Texas for burn victims. “Burn Camp” revealed to her not only the healing power of nature, but of sharing space with people who either looked like her or shared her circumstances, whether they be racial or gender identities or surviving fire.
Powell is Black, with a cleanly shaven head and a friendly face framed by smoothed-over scars. She comes from an event-planning background. This particular event, the Refuge Festival, happens to be mission-driven, though not in a way that others might assume.
One of the dominant false narratives of the outdoors is that people of color are missing from it. Purveyors cite statistics showing whites accounting for nearly 80 percent of visitors to national parks or 93 percent of bird watchers. On the other hand, 70 percent of respondents to a survey of nonwhite voters said they participated in outdoor activities on public lands.
“We need to change the conversation because people of color do [outdoor] things,” Powell said. “We just talk about it differently. We don’t talk about being outdoors. We just go fishing. We just go do the activity.”
Nature was why Powell relocated to Seattle nine years ago, but she already was immersed in it. One of her childhood preoccupations — in addition to a fascination with fire (“I was a little pyro,” she says) — was wanderlust. In grade school, she studied maps of her native Texas, the United States and the world. She became determined: “Oh, I’m going everywhere.”
On a quest to visit all 50 states (she is up to 44), Powell checked off Oregon, then Washington, during an Amtrak trip to Chicago. In Seattle, she spied mountains, trees and water, and vowed to return. She eventually did, taking a job with AmeriCorps, a domestic community service program.
After founding her consulting business, Golden Bricks Events, Powell landed at REI as an event planner. There, she used an employee grant to take a solo backpacking trip in New England, not long after her first-ever backpacking trek, which she did with a group of women of color that summer.
Powell had driven to Stowe, Vermont, where she planned to spend the first night of her two-week journey in a hotel. While checking directions, she noticed she was being followed by a police car. She’d had her share of driving-while-Black incidents, but this one was different.
The white male officer followed her into the hotel parking lot. When Powell exited her car, he blasted his siren and ordered her back in. “What are you doing here?” he asked. She explained her trip, pointed out her pack in the trunk and pair of hiking shoes on the back seat.
“That’s unbelievable,” the officer told Powell, making a not infrequent assumption. He radioed for backup. When it arrived, Powell overheard the first officer uttering the word “unbelievable” several more times, then the second one saying, “Let her go.”
The trip was not derailed. Powell later hung out with a white family in Acadia National Park in Maine, after they helped recover the keys she’d locked in her car. She even encountered one other Black person, a man also from Texas; he too was trying to visit all 50 states. She didn’t mention her first-night incident with the police to anyone, not even him.
Already a seed in her mind, the idea of a Refuge Outdoor Festival began to germinate, she says. “I started thinking, what can I do so things like this don’t happen to people?” Powell added. “I do events.” She went back to REI, then left to start her business.
Death, her lifelong shadow, provided a final push. Powell lost 11 family members during a nearly yearlong sequence. The eighth was a cousin everyone called “Plump.” Powell had just returned from the funeral of another cousin when she received the call about Plump’s passing.
It was a sign to get serious about staging the Refuge Festival.
“Nature keeps me grounded,” Powell said. “It shows that there’s more than just the things I’m dealing with. There’s a grand expanse. … I’m a piece of the puzzle and not everything in the puzzle. It goes back to the community and engaging that community in trying to make this a better place to live for future generations.”
It’s apt that Chevon Powell does what she does to help preserve the future. After all, she wasn’t even supposed to have one.
Juneteenth, also known as “Emancipation Day” or “Freedom Day,” is an African-American holiday that commemorates the day when enslaved Black Americans were emancipated on June 19th, 1865, in the former Confederate States of America. Although Juneteenth is not a federally recognized holiday, Ventures wants to celebrate this critical moment in American history and honor the liberation of people whose rights were stolen. A unique way that our community can acknowledge this holiday is by embracing the outdoors at the upcoming events that are hosted by Chevon Powell’s Golden Bricks Events.
Born and raised in Texas, Chevon has always loved the outdoors ever since she was a child and would fish with her grandmother and go to summer camp. “The outdoors has always been a part of my life,” said Chevon. Chevon joined Ventures’ community of entrepreneurs two years ago, with over twenty years of experience in the event industry. She has been a trusted consultant for organizations and was recognized by the South Seattle Emerald as a source of fostering a healing community for people of color.
This year, she won the fan-favorite prize at InnoVentures, Ventures’ pitch competition and fundraiser. Chevon created the first Refuge Outdoor Festival in 2018 to elevate people of color and their experiences outdoors. Chevon stated, “When people are interacting with the outdoors, they are healthier as an individual and as a community.”
Chevon’s appreciation for the outdoors had never faltered, even when she was pulled over by the police in Vermont on a solo backpacking trip along the Appalachian Trail. “It was a terrifying experience. They looked at me and didn’t perceive me to be a part of the outdoors.” Chevon’s story is intertwined with many others who have experienced similar encounters. This prompted her to launch her business, Golden Bricks Events, to change the narrative around how others view people of color interacting with the outdoors. “It’s not nature that’s discriminatory.” Through her consulting and event business model, she challenges other organizations and businesses to think through a community-centered inclusive lens.
Representation matters. That is a statement that Chevon lives by when showcasing her work through the Refuge Outdoor Festival. The mission of her business is to create experiences that meet the needs of people of color who want to enjoy the outdoors in a safe environment. The Refuge Outdoor Festival is usually a two-day camping event geared toward people of color that is centered on outdoor recreation, community conversations, art, and music.
This year, it is set to be an online event on September 18th – 20th. Although the opportunity for a large public gathering is limited, it will not stop the event from being held virtually. It will still feature local artists and community members who support creating a safe space for people of color.
Chevon’s dream is to work herself out of business so that everybody can feel included in outdoor activities and hobbies. However, as a Black business owner, there are a different set of challenges that come with managing a small business—as is still evident by racial discrimination in financial institutions. Chevon mentioned “being a solo entrepreneur has always been challenging, so it’s good to have support and guidance from organizations like Ventures” that are aware of the widespread economic inequalities in this country.
Growing up, Chevon knew the importance of celebrating Juneteenth as a holiday in her community. “We should all be aware of this very important day,” Chevon stated. As a child in Texas, Juneteenth was not a holiday that she and her family could take off from school and work. However, it was a day that her family encouraged her to commemorate to remember what Black Americans and allies strived to achieve after years of being devalued as humans by the transatlantic slave trade. It is an opportunity to remind Americans of the past, and to amplify equitable access to opportunities and success for African Americans.
You can follow Chevon’s work on Instagram and Facebook to receive notifications about upcoming events and opportunities.
The Refuge Outdoor Festival is returning for a second year to Tolt-MacDonald Park in Carnation, Sept. 27-29. The festival is a three-day camping experience geared toward people of color, outdoor recreation and community building.
Refuge was launched by Chevon Powell, a Texas native who moved to Seattle nine years ago. Powell said she created the festival after she had an incident with a police officer in Vermont. After being followed, stopped and questioned by the police officer, Powell said she saw that as an opportunity to create an experience where people could come together and build community.
“As an event planner by trade, I thought I could use my skills to change what people see around people of color being outside,” she said. “I wanted to bring community together so that we can all be in a safe space outside and enjoy a weekend together… it’s like a family reunion.”
The festival is planned to be a safe place that brings together people of all ages and recreation levels to explore and celebrate diversity, nature and life. The festival includes daily outdoor recreation activities including hiking and fishing, community conversations, nightly conversations, workshops, yoga, meditation, music, dancing and art. Workshops and an ice cream social will kick off the event on Friday. A Snoqualmie Tribe recognition will also be read. Saturday is packed with workshops, outdoor activities, music and silent disco to end the night. Sunday will include a service project and conversation.
“There’s a notion that people of color don’t do the [outdoors],” Powell said. “There’s a lot of negative stereotypes and perspectives in people of color… I wanted to create a space where we could have those conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion in the outdoors specifically.”
This year, the festival is expecting about 200 people. Powell said community members are welcomed to drop by for a full day or stay the full weekend. Refuge is an intergenerational event and all are welcome — people of color and allies.
Full access passes are $110, youth passes are $45, children under 8 are free. Ticket information is available online at bit.ly/ROFest2019. Detailed festival lodging information can be found on the festival website, www.refugeoutdoorfestival.com.
“There is a low number of [people of color] in the outdoor industry. We don’t necessarily get the opportunity as people of color and this is the opportunity to learn from people that look like us, and I think that is important,” Powell said. “Refuge is creating that space where you can find those things and learn from people that might look like you.”
Refuge was created by Golden Bricks Events — Powell’s consulting business — which has a record of developing events and festivals that encompass outdoor recreation, community and diversity.
Golden Brick Events builds experiences showcasing the voices and faces of people of color and marginalized communities, bringing people together in the outdoors and serving the needs of a diverse and inclusive community.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article stated that the Snoqualmie Tribe would perform a land recognition on Friday night. The Snoqualmie Tribe will not perform a land recognition. Refuge Outdoor Festival will read a land recognition provided by the Snoqualmie Tribe.
The Refuge Outdoor Festival is creating a space to explore and celebrate diversity, nature and life. Photo courtesy of Tennishia Williams
The rain would not stay away, but spirits were not dampened at the series-opening Sundaes Outside event at Be’er Sheva Park on Sunday, May 15.
The “celebration of Black Folks and the Outdoors,” across from Rainier Beach High School in south Seattle, featured live performances, a marketplace, and outdoor recreation workshops — as well as ice cream, of course.
Rainier Beach residents see and touch urban examples from Seattle Audubon’s specimen collection.
Seattle Audubon partnered for the free series with Golden Bricks Events, the producer of the popular Refuge Outdoor Festival, a three-day outdoor recreation experience geared to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and their allies.
Chevon Powell, founder of Golden Brick Events.
Seattle Audubon, with assistance from the Seward Park Audubon Center, led walks to an osprey nest located in the heart of the Rainier Beach neighborhood, showed off bird skins and organizational programs, and conducted a raffle for a gently used pair of binoculars in the marketplace.
Smiles amidst the rain at the Rainier Beach Osprey nest site.
Seattle Audubon will next support Golden Bricks’ summer edition of Refuge Day, at the Seward Park amphitheater on Saturday, June 4, 1–5 p.m. Seattle Audubon has been a sponsor of the Refuge Outdoor Festival since its inception.
Grace Rajendran’s artistic chalkboard sign for the raffle.
Grace Rajendran, Seattle Audubon board member, and Wendy Walker, Seattle Audubon’s community engagement manager, show off an Osprey in the Sundaes Outside marketplace.
Wiley Slough (or, officially, the Skagit Wildlife Area Headquarters Unit), one of the most popular and diverse birding areas in the region, will remain closed to all public access until at least Nov. 15, as previously advised by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Welcome to Birds Connect Seattle’s Fall 2023 member newsletter, EarthCare Northwest. In this issue, we look to birds as a source of inspiration for art, aviation, literature, and learning.
The skies have always captured the human imagination, inspiring dreams of flight and exploration. But long before humans took to the skies, birds had already mastered the art and science of flight.
A camping experience geared toward Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) returns to King County’s Tolt-MacDonald Park this summer. The annual Refuge Outdoor Festival, a unique outdoor recreation and community-building experience, takes place Aug. 12-14.
Now in its fifth season, the festival is expected to attract more than 500 attendees for a weekend filled with adventure and community building in the great outdoors.
The festival is a safe space for participants with varying levels of outdoor experience. More than 20 outdoor-focused workshops and activities are planned and will be led by experts and community partners who make the information and experiences accessible for all. Participants can also enjoy community conversations, nightly concerts, art exhibits, an outdoor vendor market, silent disco, and a variety of other entertainment options.
For those staying overnight, an assortment of onsite camping options will be available ranging from primitive sites to glamping accommodations.
“We are excited to have Refuge Fest back at Tolt-MacDonald Campground and to bring the community together again,” said Chevon Powell, festival organizer and founder and managing director of Golden Bricks Events (GBE). “Refuge is not your typical festival or camping experience. We encourage our community to do as much or as little as they’d like, as long as they take a moment of refuge from all the things going on in the world.”
Tickets and detailed festival information are available at refugeoutdoorfestival.com. Full-access festival passes are priced on a sliding scale and limited scholarship tickets are available.
Acknowledging that many participants may not have all the necessary equipment, access to a gear bank and camp kitchen reservations will be provided in partnership with REI and the Washington Trails Association. As with every GBE event, participants can be assured that inclusivity for all remains the focus of the weekend’s adventures.
Chris Liu, a volunteer with GBE community partner Outdoor Asian, said participating in the 2021 Refuge Outdoor Festival was life changing.
“Oshun Swim School’s workshop at Refuge inspired me to continue on my journey of reconnecting with water and I’ve been taking lessons with Seattle Parks and Rec these past few months,” Liu said.
Refuge Day is a slightly smaller event where participants can prepare for the upcoming Refuge Outdoor Festival by learning the ins and outs of outdoor gear while creating space for comradery and meaningful connections with other festivalgoers. That event is set for Aug. 5 at the REI Seattle flagship store.
Relevant links
About Golden Bricks Events
Golden Bricks is an event production company addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating special events and festivals that showcase the voices and faces of Black, Indigenous, and People of color in the outdoors. Its mission is to create experiences that meet the needs of a diverse and inclusive audience. Our communications kit and more information are available at goldenbricksevents.com.
Calling all families of color! It’s time to get out and explore the outdoors. The Pacific Northwest is full of amazing natural wonders. Families in our area are lucky to be able to experience three national parks in Washington state, as well as over 140 terrific state parks.
Yet people of color are often underrepresented in the outdoors. Although the U.S. Census estimates that people of color make up roughly 41 percent of the U.S., a 2018 Outdoor Recreation Participation survey, conducted by the Outdoor Foundation, shows that just 25 percent of participants in outdoor recreation activities are people of color.
Similarly, only 28 percent of campers in the United States are people of color, according to a 2019 North American Camping Report, sponsored by Kampgrounds of America.
Designed for people of color, this all-ages festival brings together participants to enjoy music, activities and discussions about representation in the outdoors. All people of color and allies are welcome.
“The festival is really centered around creating an inclusive space for groups that have traditionally been marginalized in the outdoor community,” said festival organizer Chevon Powell.
Tickets are still available for the 2019 Refuge Outdoor Festival. A weekend pass costs $110 per adult or $45 per youth (under age 8 are free). For an additional $20 per tent, grab some field space for camping. Bring your own gear. Upgraded camping options are also available: car-camping spots, camper-van spots or RV spots for $125–$150, or you can rent out a yurt for $300.
More outdoor opportunities for families of color
For families of color looking for more outdoor options, groups such as Outdoor Afro, Outdoor Asian and Latino Outdoors actively work to encourage people of color to experience the outdoors. Various groups organize hikes, campouts and outdoor training throughout the year. Check out these programs and how to get involved.
WILD Youth Program excursion to Diablo Lake. Photo courtesy of WILD Youth Program
WILD Youth Program
Created in 1997, the WILD Youth Program partners with Asian-Pacific Islander youth through cooking classes, outdoor leadership development training, gardening classes and intergenerational activities within the Asian-Pacific Islander community.
“A lot of youth may not have the opportunities to really embrace the outdoors,” says WILD program manager Vincent Kwan. “With our program, we try our best to diversify the community within the outdoors.”
Cascade Bicycle Club’s Major Taylor Project
An initiative of the Cascade Bicycle Club, the Major Taylor Project encourages youth from underrepresented communities in 18 middle schools and high schools across south Seattle to explore the Pacific Northwest.
“The great part about the project is that we get to take the kids to places they haven’t been to by bike or even [been] in general,” says Major Taylor project manager, Richard Brown.
The Major Taylor Project reaches youth through bicycles clubs, organized bike rides and their Build-a-Bike program.
Youth ride with Bike Works. Photo courtesy Bike Works
Bike Works youth programs
Another organization that encourages bicycling among youth of color is Seattle-based Bike Works. The program director for Bike Works’ youth programs Tina Bechler understands the importance of exposing youth of color to the outdoors.
“There are a lot of really amazing places to get to by bicycle,” Bechler says. “I think it’s a huge opportunity for young people to see that in half-an-hour, they can go somewhere really beautiful that’s surrounded by nature.”
Bike Works trains youth to repair bikes. They also organize bike clubs for girls, endurance riding clubs and mountain biking clubs throughout the year, as well as bike touring camps in the summer.
Climbers of Color
In thinking about ways to diversify the outdoors, it’s important to also look at the leadership within the outdoor community. Climbers of Color organizes mountaineering leadership workshops throughout the year that are aimed at people of color.
Team members Max Lam and Nicco Minutoli emphasize that the group’s main aim is to train leaders in the outdoors through their workshops.
“We’re focused on giving people the tools to run their own outdoor camps and activities,” Minutoli explains.
For older youth with a deep interest in mountaineering and the skills necessary to take on a leadership role, Climbers of Color workshops can pave the way to that path.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2018 and udpated for 2019.
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