118 SRES 858 IS: Recognizing the 15th anniversary of Outdoor Afro. U.S. Senate 2024-09-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III118th CONGRESS2d SessionS. RES. 858IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESSeptember 25, 2024Mr. King (for himself, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Hickenlooper, and Mr. Padilla) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the JudiciaryRESOLUTIONRecognizing the 15th anniversary of Outdoor Afro.

Whereas, in 2009, Outdoor Afro started as a blog about nature written by Ms. Rue Mapp, and has grown into a national not-for-profit network with volunteer leaders in 33 States and the District of Columbia, guiding hundreds of outdoor events each year based on a simple mission to celebrate and inspire Black-American connections to nature through recreational activities, including camping, hiking, birding, fishing, gardening, skiing, biking, camping, environmental education, conservation stewardship, and more;Whereas, in the past 15 years, Outdoor Afro has cultivated and trained more than 1000 outdoor leaders, led thousands of outdoor events, and engaged well over 150,000 participants;Whereas Outdoor Afro has disrupted the false perception that Black Americans do not have a relationship with nature and is inspiring access to remote and pristine nature, as well as urban nature, including local parks, trails, and open spaces;Whereas Outdoor Afro promotes a healthy lifestyle and helps communities find healing, connects to Black history found in natural areas, and inspires an increased desire to protect vulnerable public lands for all to enjoy;Whereas Outdoor Afro held its first international expedition in 2018 to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania;Whereas, in response to the disproportionate number of Black children who drown while swimming, Outdoor Afro launched Making Waves, a program to strengthen relationships with water through water safety and swimming lessons provided by certified swim instructors;Whereas, since its inception, Making Waves has funded nearly 1,950 Swimmership scholarships and aims to reach 1,500 new swimmers in 2024;Whereas Outdoor Afro has engaged millions of people through digital outreach and is changing visual representations of who can connect with and lead in the outdoors through this digital outreach;Whereas Outdoor Afro’s growing network comprises civically engaged men and women, many of whom plan outdoor activities on behalf of children and senior community members, restoring Black-American leadership in nature;Whereas Outdoor Afro is a leading voice in the Black-American community for advice on where to recreate, the best outdoor gear to use, and environmental causes that need the greatest attention; andWhereas October 25, 2024, marks 15 years since the establishment of Outdoor Afro as a community that supports connecting Black Americans with natural spaces and one another through recreational activities: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—(1)recognizes the 15th anniversary of Outdoor Afro; and(2)commends the leadership of Outdoor Afro for leading the way for inclusion in outdoor recreation and nature for all.