It is so important to take up space in nature because as Black and Degeneres and other

people of color, we have trauma that is inherently tied to this land.

By going out, by reconnecting with the land, we are truly reconnecting with ourselves.

From Fuduro Media and PRX, it's Latino USA, I'm Mariano Hosa and today grab your water

bottle because we're going on a hike with Heikler, an outdoor club in Los Angeles, centering

women of color.

Evelyn Iskovat Thomas grew up near a state park in northern Virginia, but she never visited

it.

Sure she loved playing outside, especially in a creek near her backyard and in the

woods with her friends, but with formal outdoor recreation being segregated, she never

really felt welcomed in the many hiking trails and campsites.

For Evelyn and other members of her community, hiking was a white people thing.

In 2017 after moving to Los Angeles, Evelyn found herself doing a lot of solo hiking because

she didn't know anyone to hike with.

On those trails, she saw what she had also experienced growing up.

The outdoor was still very homogeneous and still very white.

But Evelyn knew there were more Black and Brown people interested in outdoor recreation,

so she saved an Instagram handle, invited a group of friends for a hike and just like

that, Heiklerb was born.

And it took off fast.

At times up to 100 women and non-binary people would join the Heik's organized by Evelyn,

all dressed with a bit of style.

...