Ron Griswell believes the outdoors are for everybody, not just the kinda groups that historically have better access to them (translation: white people). To open this world up to so many who haven’t full experienced it, the veteran outdoorsman has relaunched HBCUs Outside and rolled out its first fundraiser, #BlacktotheTrails5k. Best part? No matter where you live or how you choose to move, you can get involved.
First, a bit of backstory. HBCUs is short for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and HBCUs Outside is a non-profit that aims to support these schools in helping students close the adventure gap.
One of the big goals of this fundraiser? Raising money to furnish campuses with gear libraries, where people can rent, say, a whole bunch of camping equipment for a weekend. That helps lower the barrier to entry for such activities, increasing the odds of getting a wider variety of people hooked on the outdoors.
Now, how can you get involved? This Saturday, September 19th, is Global Trail Running Day. From that day through September 27th, #BlackToTheTrails5k encourages you to run, walk or use your adaptive device to travel five kilometers, in solidarity with HBCUs Outside. You can do it literally anywhere and share on social media to raise awareness for the cause. Signing up for the Virtual 5K costs $20, and you can also join a team, create a team, sponsor a runner in need or simply donate.
Any way you choose to get involved helps make a difference. It will also likely leave you appreciating your own outdoor history — and your local trail — just a little bit more.