{"id":3735,"date":"2023-11-01T05:05:25","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T05:05:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goldenbricksevents.com\/main\/2023\/11\/01\/creating-a-refuge-for-people-of-color-in-the-outdoors\/"},"modified":"2025-07-04T21:09:08","modified_gmt":"2025-07-04T21:09:08","slug":"creating-a-refuge-for-people-of-color-in-the-outdoors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goldenbricksevents.com\/main\/2023\/11\/01\/creating-a-refuge-for-people-of-color-in-the-outdoors\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating a Refuge for People of Color in the Outdoors"},"content":{"rendered":"

(This article is reposted from https:\/\/gearjunkie.com\/events\/refuge-outdoor-festival-camping-community-people-of-color .)<\/strong><\/p>\n

How Chevon Powell built an event for people of color in the outdoors \u2014 and why that\u2019s more important than ever right now.<\/p>\n

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By Crystal Gartner<\/em><\/p>\n

On the way to her first solo backpacking trip in Vermont, Chevon Powell, a Black woman, was confronted by a White police officer, who followed her into her hotel\u2019s parking lot and turned on his sirens. He questioned why she was in the area and called for backup.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said that it was unbelievable that I would be in Vermont to go backpacking, which is just a whole lot of levels of ridiculousness,\u201d Chevon said.<\/p>\n

\"Chevon
\nChevon wearing a Refuge shirt while at Tolt-MacDonald. Photo by Chevon Powell.<\/span><\/figure>\n

Chevon was finally released, and she did take her backpacking trip. But that harrowing incident stuck with her and became part of her motivation to shift the mission of her company, Golden Bricks Events.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe outdoors hasn\u2019t always been that welcoming for people of color, for Black folks,\u201d Chevon said. \u201cWe know the national parks used to be segregated. We know that there are trees that hung people that are still in prominent American parks. After that incident in Vermont, I thought, I can use my skills to create something that makes the outdoors a more welcoming place for Black people.\u201d<\/p>\n

That day sparked Chevon\u2019s idea to create events centered on people of color and, after the tragedy of losing several family members in the same year, Chevon knew she needed an event that would offer refuge. She named her event exactly that, Refuge, and planned it as a multi-day camping experience geared toward people of color, centered on building community through outdoor recreation, conversations, workshops, live music and art for a diverse and inclusive audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen traumatic things happen to you like family loss, you are reminded that your time is limited,\u201d Chevon said. \u201cNature is my place of refuge and healing. I knew that other people that looked like me probably needed that too, now more than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first Refuge was in September of 2018, attended by 140 outdoor enthusiasts from all over Washington and the country. Even though Chevon endured the loss of 11 family members that year, she planned and launched the first Refuge Outdoor Festival in just 7 months.<\/p>\n

\"Refuge<\/p>\n

Held at Tolt-MacDonald Park, in the Snoqualmie River Valley, the inaugural Refuge offered a wide menu of activities that met all levels of outdoor experience, including outdoor yoga, bikepacking, discussions on race and privilege, sharing of history of communities of color in the outdoors, and of course, outdoor cooking and live music.<\/p>\n

Refuge was held again in 2019. Then this year, when the pandemic hit, followed by uprisings to protest police violence against Black people, Chevon pivoted to turn Refuge into an online camp-in, to protect communities and provide healing.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me there was this urgency to make sure that this still happened,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are folks that just need a weekend reprieve from the stuff that happens in everyday regular society, which is what I always hope Refuge is,\u201d Chevon said.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Refuge, which was in September, focused even more sharply on social justice. Folks from all over the country gathered online for a weekend of entertainment, activities and workshops including How Disability Justice Will Build Caring Communities, Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Backpacking Basics & Connecting with Nature During Covid, a DJ battle, affinity groups for White, Black and other people of color, and many other activities organized for joy and healing.<\/p>\n

\"A
\nA group of Refuge attendees in 2018 head off on a morning bird watching session. Photo courtesy GBE.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of the narrative around the outdoors has been from a\u00a0White male perspective,\u201d Chevon said. \u201cTo know that there are other voices and other ways of being in the outdoors is powerful for BIPOC folks. All of our different ways of being in the outdoors are valid and important. Some Refuge participants only go outside in their neighborhood but want to know more about the outdoors. Some people are full backcountry experts. Refuge gives them that shared experience. There\u2019s a lot of power in the knowledge sharing that happens in Refuge. It helps people feel comfortable to do these activities. There are a lot of workshops as well to empower people to care for themselves and for community, and that has a ripple effect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chevon\u2019s love of nature and the outdoors began in childhood. \u201cI started really young by going to a camp for burn survivors,\u201d she said. \u201cI learned to fish and became a Girl Scout. That turned into a love of hiking, camping and backpacking. Just get me in a tent and I\u2019m a happy girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a lifetime of outdoor experience, Chevon knows racism is\u00a0still a problem on trail. \u201cThe looks I get, the comments like, \u2018Oh I\u2019m surprised to see you out here,\u2019 the ranger coming to my campsite because I\u2019m \u2018too loud\u2019 when I\u2019m no louder than any of the other folks around who don\u2019t get the same visit,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s this perception that someone who looks like me isn\u2019t a part of the outdoors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Chevon
\nChevon (left) created Refuge in 2018 as a way for people to come together and find community and healing. Photo courtesy GBE.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chevon hopes that Refuge and other efforts are changing who people expect to see in the outdoors and changing assumptions about their level of experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor years I hesitated to say I was into the outdoors or into certain things in general because society has told me that if you are Black you can\u2019t do those things. That\u2019s why having a space like Refuge to share knowledge is important,\u201d Chevon said. \u201cMaybe someone else that was previously like me will be like, \u2018OK, I am into this, this is something I do and it\u2019s not a secret.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

For Chevon, Refuge is an extension of her personal journey of growth and healing. \u201cNot only just from the types of trauma that we all experience in life, but also the trauma of being a Black person in America, of being a burn survivor in America.\u201d<\/p>\n

After this year\u2019s Refuge, Chevon received messages that it was indeed a needed respite from everything. She is excited to look ahead to having people connect in person at next year\u2019s Refuge.<\/p>\n

\"Refuge
\nAn artist at the 2018 Refuge Event. Photo courtesy GBE.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do want us to continue making this accessible to more people,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s likely to be a hybrid event, holding some activities online, because that is the only way some folks can access the outdoors.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the closing moments of Refuge, Chevon told participants, \u201cCommunity is at the center of all of this. Don\u2019t let Refuge be just this weekend. Let Refuge be the way that you show up in the world. Take those things that are awakening inside you and move into a moment of action. That may be \u2018I need to move around my house more.\u2019 or \u2018I need to be out here at these marches.\u2019 Do whatever it is that you need to do for you, so that we as a community, as a people, can come to a better place in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch Refuge online<\/h3>\n

Visit the resource page on the Refuge website<\/a>\u00a0for links to some of the presentations. Or, visit the GBE Outdoors channel on YouTube for the full Refuge playlist.<\/p>\n

How to support Refuge<\/h3>\n