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Eyes on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at July 2018 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market

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After introducing itself to the Outdoor Retailer community at the first show in Denver in January 2018, the Next 100 Coalition is back with two events – a happy hour at The North Face’s booth at 3:30 p.m. on July 24 and Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All, a party celebrating conservation and diversity, equity, and inclusion at Stranahan’s Distillery at 6 p.m. on July 24. Featuring Next 100 Coalition members Carolyn Finney and Jose Gonzalez and sponsored by several other member organizations, the Elevate Conservation event will emphasize the Coalition’s longstanding vision of a public lands and outdoor recreation environment that respects all cultures, reflects all people, and engages all communities.

At the July 2018 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver, CO, dozens of organizations are advancing and celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors. These two Next 100 Coalition events, alongside the other events listed below, offer Outdoor Retailer attendees and other interested stakeholders a chance to learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it relates to their work; meet the individuals and organizations championing a more inclusive outdoor culture; and challenge themselves and their organizations to take action.

Thanks to the Outdoor Industry Association and Next 100 Coalition member James Mills for spotlighting these events as well.

Day Zero | July 22, 2018

Spark 2020 (invite-only)

  • Event/effort title: Spark 2020
  • Date/time: July 22, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
  • Organizer: Elyse Rylander (OUT There Adventures)
  • Partners: Jaylyn Gough (Native Women’s Wilderness), Jolie Varela (Indigenous Women Hike), Ava Holliday & Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin (The Avarna Group)
  • Who is attending: Those who identify as change makers as it relates to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoor and environmental space.
  • Purpose of event: The 2020 Leadership Retreat will bring together stakeholders of the Outdoor DEI community to connect, network and share their resources. Providing an intentional space for those engaging in DEI work creates an incredible opportunity to continue to cultivate a common narrative on collective liberation within the outdoors. Our mission is to honor the individual pursuits of non-profit organization founders, developers of youth educational programs and environmental advocates while also supporting their united efforts to ensure an equitable future for our industry.

4th Annual Pitchfest

  • Event title: 4th Annual Pitchfest
  • Date/time: July 22, 1-4 p.m.
  • Location: Silverton Ballroom, Embassy Suites, 1420 Stout St, Denver, 80202
  • Organizer: Camber Outdoors
  • Sponsors: The REI Foundation and Perkins Coie
  • Registration: Registration is open to all, but RSVPs are recommended: https://bit.ly/2u9l650
  • Purpose of event: Pitchfest is the can’t-miss event driving cutting-edge innovation, entrepreneurship, and thought leadership in the active-outdoor industries. Seven high potential companies — Bold Betties, Gearo, Handful, Heather’s Choice, HEROCLIP, Pace Match, Western Rise — will take the stage and pitch their business to industry leaders and influencers.

Tribal Nations Summit (invite-only)

  • Event title: Tribal Nations Summit
  • Date/time: July 22, 7-10 p.m.
  • Organizers: Ernest House, Jr. Executive Director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs; Luis Benitez, Director Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office; Dr. Len Necefer, CEO of NativesOutdoors
  • Event Facilitator: John Echohawk, Native American Rights Fund
  • Who is attending: Invited tribal representatives and current attendees include: Pawnee Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Kewa Pueblo, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, San Juan Paiute Tribe, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Facilitators and organizers will also be in attendance, but NGOs, media, and federal officials will not be present for this event, as this is a space for tribes.
  • Purpose of event: In light of recent changes to national monuments, we believe in the power of partnership, dialogue, and elevating the voices of Native Nations who have demonstrated success in stewarding lands for generations. The benefits of using public lands for outdoor recreation have measurable impacts on Native communities by promoting health and wellness; cultural revitalization and preservation for youth; and sustainable economic development. Our objective is to produce a working document that articulates a shared vision in each of these key areas among participating tribes in order to guide and scale future tribal, outdoor industry, and government partnerships.

 

Day One | July 23, 2018

Breaking a Paradigm: Why Focusing on Women Is Not Enough

  • Event title: Breaking a Paradigm: Why Focusing on Women Is Not Enough
  • Date/time: July 23, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
  • Location: ORSM Show Floor
  • Organizer: Camber Outdoors
  • Registration: No registration needed; event is open to all
  • Purpose of event: Camber Outdoors will facilitate a conversation on the show floor to explore why industry efforts aimed at inclusion must be intersectional. Research and experience show that companies that focus exclusively on women are often met with limited success in broader inclusion efforts. By understanding where white women and women of color overlap and diverge in experiences, we will begin to broaden our perspective and framework for the next generation of Camber Outdoors’ work.

Day Two | July 24, 2018

Panel on Outdoor Afro Kilimanjaro Expedition

  • Event title: Panel on Outdoor Afro Kilimanjaro Expedition
  • Date/Time: July 24, 10:00-10:30 am
  • Location: The North Face Booth on the Show Floor
  • Organizer: The North Face, Outdoor Afro
  • Registration: No registration needed; event is open to all
  • Purpose of event: Fresh off an expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro, hear highlights and stories from Outdoor Afro’s 2018 expedition, the first all-black US group to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest free-standing mountain in the world. This panel discussion shares their story. Chaya Harris, Ray Smith, Brittany Leavitt, and Leandra Taylor will present. James Edward Mills, author of “The Joy Trip Project”, will moderate.

Next 100 Coalition Happy Hour at the North Face Booth

  • Event title: Next 100 Coalition Happy Hour at The North Face Booth
  • Date/time: July 24, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
  • Location: The North Face Booth on the Show Floor
  • Organizer: The North Face, Next 100 Coalition
  • Registration: No registration needed; event is open to all
  • Purpose of event: ORSM attendees will have the chance to mingle with Next 100 Coalition members and allies. Cash donations optional.

Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All

  • Event title: Elevate Conservation: Outdoors for All
  • Date/time: July 24, 6-9 p.m.
  • Location: Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, 200 South Kalamath Street, Denver, CO 80223
  • Organizers: Conservation Colorado, Conservation Lands Foundation, The Infinite Monkey Theorem, Klean Kanteen, League of Conservation Voters, Montana Wilderness Association, New Belgium, Next 100 Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, NRDC, Outside Magazine, Patagonia, Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey, Western Resource Advocates, The Wilderness Society
  • Sponsors/partners: Others listed here: https://bit.ly/2J8p96h
  • Registration: Registration is open to all, but RSVPs are required: https://bit.ly/2u9PVX7
  • Purpose of event: Join conservation, outdoor advocacy, and outdoor industry brands to celebrate and advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equitable access in the outdoors and the reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Why are we bringing everyone together? This is a great opportunity to gather with diverse stakeholders, political leaders, and outdoor industry representatives to elevate conservation advocacy, diversity, equal access and inclusion in outdoor recreation, and protecting our public lands. We will be building the power of collaboration and activism through education, communication, and strengthening connections.

Day Three | July 25, 2018

Camber Outdoors Thought Leader Keynote: For All: From the Boardroom to the Backcountry

  • Event/effort title: Camber Outdoors Thought Leader Keynote: For All: From the Boardroom to the Backcountry
  • Date/time: July 25, 7-9 a.m.
  • Location: Embassy Suites, Silverton Ballroom, 1420 Stout Street, Denver, Colorado
  • Organizer: Camber Outdoors
  • Registration: Registration is open to all, but RSVPs are required: https://bit.ly/2KOokFa
  • Purpose of event: Fast-paced and celebrating successes, Camber Outdoors Keynote features five thought leading speakers from a pioneer who has expanded and grown outdoor participation to a CEO who walks the talk by incorporating equity as a strategic business priority. Seating will be limited.

DEI Luncheon at OR (invite-only)

  • Event/effort title: DEI Luncheon at OR
  • Date/time: July 25, Noon-1 p.m.
  • Location: Commons at Champa, 1245 Champa St, Denver, CO 80204
  • Organizer: Kenji Haroutunian
  • Sponsors/partners: Camber Outdoors, New Normal Consulting, Outdoor Blogger Summit, The Mountain Lab, REI
  • Who is attending: Experienced DEI leaders in Outdoor
  • Purpose of event: To spread best practices and help industry organizations expand their relevance.

Workplace Equity Working Group

  • Event title: Workplace Equity Working Group
  • Date/time: July 25, 3-6 p.m.
  • Location: Commons on Champa, 1245 Champa St., Denver, CO 80204
  • Organizer: Camber Outdoors
  • Sponsors: The REI Foundation and Perkins Coie
  • Registration: Registration is open to all interested stakeholders, but RSVPs are required: https://bit.ly/2m9bPpb
  • Purpose of event: Camber Outdoors is convening CEO Pledge companies and key stakeholders in the Workplace Equity Working Group (WEWG) to co-create an active-outdoor industries’ Index for what constitutes equitable and inclusive workplaces where a diversity of experiences and people lead.  Modeled after OIA’s sustainability working group that eventually created the HIGG Index, peers and competitors work together in collaboration and confidentiality to create an Index that is larger than any one company or individual.

 

Throughout

The CEO Outdoor Diversity Pledge was formed out of a desire for the outdoor business community to advance diversity and inclusion as part of their brands’ ethic — both in their internal behaviors and external connections to the world of outdoor recreation and its consumers. This is a collective opportunity​ to grow the industry and its commitment to diversity and inclusion for people of color in the outdoors. A steering committee has been created to assist companies with their commitment to the pledge. For a copy of the pledge, please contact Teresa Baker at Tmbaker1165@gmail.com. The pledge will be shared publicly here at Diversify Outdoors prior to the Outdoor Retailer show.