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Introducing #EveryoneOutside: Building A More Inclusive Outdoor & Travel Community

The Outbound's initiative to build a more inclusive outdoor community by elevating and empowering underrepresented members.

By: Brian Heifferon + Save to a List

When we started The Outbound Collective six years ago, our mission was to make the outdoors more accessible for everyone. Over the years, our community has grown to millions of users across the website, mobile apps, and social media — and yet, we can do better.

We acknowledge that there are voices, faces, and perspectives that lack strong representation across our channels and within the larger outdoor & travel industries. As a minority-owned business, it is our responsibility to help change that.

Earlier this year I signed the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge and began working on our company’s action plan with Teresa Baker, the Founder of the Pledge.

Following through on that commitment, we’re excited to introduce #EveryoneOutside, our initiative to increase diversity, promote equity, and foster inclusion in the outdoors. Our effort is focused on two primary components: 1) elevating the profiles, work, and stories of marginalized athletes, leaders, organizations, and affinity groups; and 2) empowering minority members of our community by increasing access to essential outdoor skills and activities.

We are incredibly grateful to be introducing this program with some amazing partners: Run 4 All Women, Latino Outdoors, Natives Outdoors, The Venture Out Project, Color Outside, Girl Ventures, Outdoor Asian, Latin X Hikers, Brown People Camping, Fat Girls Hiking, Brown Folks Fishing, The Great Outchea, and Peak Explorations.

And we also couldn’t be doing any of this without the support and commitment of key industry partners: HOKA ONE ONE, Kampgrounds of America (KOA), Eddie Bauer, and LEKI.

This is a long-term commitment and at the heart of who we are as a company. If you’re interested in learning more, please visit https://everyoneoutside.theoutbound.com/.

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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