Why being Black and outdoorsy is a whole thing
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June 12, 2026
By Christina Cala, Gene Demby, B.A. Parker, Dalia Mortada, NPR

A viral video of a young Black man frolicking in an Oregon meadow sent B.A. Parker looking for a deeper answer: what does it take for people of color to feel safe outdoors? The folks at the Code Switch podcast dive into the racist history of what it means to be a Black person outside — and why that complicates people’s relationship today to the outdoors. Parkers talks with the self-described “Black frolicker” Daniyel and Pamela Slaughter of the Oregon-based nonprofit People of Color Outdoors.
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