PHOENIX – Arizona State Parks and Trails has partnered with Black Folks Camp Too, an award-winning company whose mission is to increase participation in the outdoor industry by making it easier, more interesting and more fun to get outdoors. This partnership provides training and resources for Arizona State Parks and Trails staff to reach more people about the amazing outdoor recreation opportunities available in the 33 state parks.

Understanding the challenges faced by the underrepresented communities and making parks more inclusive is a main goal of this new partnership. All Arizona State Parks and Trails staff have completed a Unity Blaze Return on Inclusion training course. Each year, with ongoing content from Black Folks Camp Too, the agency will build on these skills to reach more customers and create a more inclusive outdoor industry.

The Unity Blaze training program is a comprehensive online curriculum that teaches participants how to create a more inclusive and welcoming outdoor experience for all people. The course is designed to develop staff skills to welcome everyone to the great outdoors; it focuses on making the outdoors inclusive for everyone, no matter their race, gender, abilities, or ethnicity. The program covers a wide range of topics, including:

• The history of outdoor recreation and the barriers that have traditionally prevented Black folks and other communities of color from participating
• How to recognize and address unconscious bias
• How to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all visitors
• How to develop and implement programs and services that meet the needs of all communities

“We are incredibly energized to partner with Arizona State Parks and Trails,” said Earl B. Hunter, Jr., founder and president of Black Folks Camp Too. “Our partnership is sincere, meaningful, measurable, and sustainable as we continue to increase Unity in the Outdoor Community and BEYOND through education and activations. Together, we are changing the world one campfire at a time!”

Hunter explained that there are three primary reasons outdoor recreation has remained mostly white: people of color have a “generational fear” of the outdoors, they don’t feel welcomed or invited, and because they haven’t grown up participating in the outdoor industry they don’t know where to start. Through the Unity Blaze certification, Hunter has been able to talk to outdoor recreation professionals about the challenges they face in diversifying the outdoors and how to overcome those challenges, from making the outdoors safer for people of color to doing specific outreach that lets people know they are welcome.

“We believe that the transformative power of the outdoors should be accessible to any and everyone,” said Bob Broscheid, executive director of Arizona State Parks and Trails. “We are thrilled to be working with Earl B. Hunter, Jr. and the whole team. This is something we want to fully integrate into our daily operations and future plans as an agency because we want future generations, of every type of person, to be able to experience the outdoors.” 

According to an Outdoor Participation Trends Report by the Outdoor Foundation, 71% of outdoor recreation participants in 2022 were white, despite comprising 59% of the total population. If the demographic makeup of the participant base remains steady, the percentage of the total population that participates in outdoor recreation could drop from 54% to 40% by 2060. That loss of participation has ramifications beyond the economic health of the industry: if the majority of Americans don’t spend time in outdoor spaces, they won’t understand their value, and so won’t care about protecting and preserving them for future generations.

About Black Folks Camp Too

Black Folks Camp Too (BFCT) is an award-winning company that works to increase Unity in the Outdoor Community and BEYOND. BFCT provides educational programs, resources, and community-building opportunities to help Folks connect with nature and build a sense of confidence and belonging in the outdoor space. Through education, advocacy, community building, and revenue driving projects, BFCT empowers companies, organizations and individuals to create a more welcoming outdoor experience for all.

About Arizona State Parks and Trails

The agency manages more than 30 parks on more than 64,000 acres of land and includes the State Trails Program, outdoor-related grants program, statewide outdoor recreation planning, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of Outdoor Recreation, and the Off-Highway Vehicle Program. The agency helps drive the economy, and enhances and protects local communities and cultures. Arizona’s state park system does not receive operating funds from state monies generated through taxes. Ranger pay, park maintenance and operations as well as repairs are all funded through fees collected for visiting or camping at an Arizona state park. For more information, call 1-877-MY-PARKS or visit AZStateParks.com.

PRESS CONTACT: Michelle Thompson at pio@azstateparks.gov.