Celebrating Outdoor Afro!

www.outdoorafro.com

It was an honor and a privilege to be in attendance at Oakland's historic African American Museum & Library to celebrate one of the most passionate people I know, my friend and Outdoor Afro founder, Rue Mapp. It was a joy to experience the outpouring of love as we all gathered around to surprise the birthday girl as she ascended the staircase, and a real treat to witness her commendations from members of Congress and the County of Alameda for her groundbreaking work centered around African Americans and the great outdoors. Did I mention that Rue is also one of the Faces of Conservation for the Wilderness Society in Washington, DC? She is truly doing us all proud and creating opportunities to reconnect our community to nature.

The Outdoor Afro team worked to further Rue's vision by putting together an Outdoor Afro fundraiser, which helped raise money devoted to scholarships to send youth to Oakland Feather River Camp next summer! Emma and I will be looking forward to joining in on the fun. You don't have to wait until next summer to get in on the camping action, you can follow Rue and her family on their upcoming RV trip to the California Coast!

Visit OutdoorAfro.com for color-filled adventures and valuable information about enjoying all the rewarding possibilities of nature.

Living the Young Mommy Life!

www.theyoungmommylife.com

It's truly impossible to say enough wonderful things about the fabulous Tara Pringle Jefferson of The Young Mommy Life, and just as impossible to compile all the reasons why I love her into one blog post. She's just an amazing force of nature. You can't help but walk away fully inspired and ready to take on the world after reading her work, and you definitely feel a sense of pride to be a part of the community that she has built because she is a shining example of all the possibilities that await young motherhood in the world. I was just drawn to Tara from the very beginning! Not only was she a young mommy who welcomed her daughter while she was still a college student, just like myself, but she was living my journalist dream. She was a great example that motherhood isn't a road block to the dreams of young mothers, but rather, a driving force and a site of universal unconditional support. Even as a single mother of one, I could relate fully to this married mother of two because she goes hard. There is no going home for Tara!

I'm pretty sure you can imagine my feelings when Tara told me that "I" inspire her. It was humbling to be reminded that my little piece of experience in the huge pie of the young mommy community is noted, appreciated and most importantly, welcomed. Yesterday I was featured in The Young Mommy Life's 'She Inspires' series. Check me out, and check out all of the other brilliant pieces that Tara and The Young Mommy crew have to offer.