Sun Outdoors, with more than 175 resorts and campgrounds across the United States and Canada, is collaborating with Outdoor Afro to provide the organization with a variety of year-round experiential activities, events and opportunities, including leadership conferences and fundraising events. The partnership officially kicks off April 14 – 16 with Outdoor Afro’s 2022 leadership training at Sun Outdoors River Run RV Resort in Granby, Colorado.
Outdoor Afro
Founded in 2009, Outdoor Afro is a national not-for-profit organization that celebrates and inspires Black connections and leadership in nature. Started by Rue Mapp as a blog about her passion for nature in 2009, Outdoor Afro has since grown into a nationwide network with more than 100 volunteer leaders in 56 cities and aims to provide safe spaces to experience and enjoy nature while changing the face of conservation along the way.
“As an organization who set out to be a leader in inspiring Black connections to the outdoors, we have found a partner perfectly in alignment with our mission and values,” says Outdoor Afro Founder and CEO Rue Mapp. “I’ve always found freedom and a sense of peace being outdoors. With the help of Sun Outdoors, we can bring even more outdoor experiences to life and connect in nature with a wider community.”
Event & Partnership Highlights
The leadership training will convene Outdoor Afro’s volunteer leaders from across the country, with the group lodging on-site and utilizing the resort’s Elk Ridge Ballroom. Interactive workshops will range from risk management and multigenerational activities in nature to understanding Outdoor Afro’s mission goals and strengthening network connections.
“Our Outdoor Afro Leadership Training is even more special this year because we gathered in person after two years of virtual workshops,” says Chaya Harris, Outdoor Afro’s National Program Director. “River Run RV Resort provided us with that family reunion feel.”
Following the leadership conference, Sun Outdoors and Outdoor Afro will continue to activate initiatives and opportunities throughout the country that further inspire Black connections in nature and provide interactive outdoor experiences.
“This partnership with Outdoor Afro is an important element in our overall goal as a company, creating a path towards fostering a more diverse society,” says Sun Communities, Inc. CFO Karen Dearing, who serves as executive sponsor of the company’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility) Council. “Sun is striving to be an informed leader for transformation in the diversity, equity and inclusion space, and this initiative affords us the opportunity to provide the resources to help build a foundation for change.”
