"The National Park Service has recognized for many years that African Americans are an under-represented visitor group to the national parks." Source: 2009 Diversity Task Force Report, National Parks Conservation Association [Read full .pdf report here]

The purpose of this ground breaking event is to showcase the broad diversity among Americans who are committed activists, protecting our environment, conserving our natural treasures, and performing extraordinary feats of personal accomplishment in the "great outdoors." No less significant is that "Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors" will illustrate a little-known fact:

Americans of every heritage and ethnicity are rising to their personal best as they embrace the challenge of protecting our environment and follow the call of the wild outdoors.

Please click here for a conference agenda and events. Note: Agenda is subject to change.

Keynote Speakers

Bob Stanton - Deputy Asst. Secretary of the Interior for Policy/Management & Budget
Majora Carter - Founder, Sustainable South Bronx
Carolyn Finney, PhD - University of California Berkeley

Featured Speakers include:

"Queen Quet," Marquetta L. Goodwine • Hermes Castro • Rue Mapp • Juan D. Martinez • Captain Bill Pinkney • Jack Shu • Angela Park • David Hayes Sylvester • Tony C. Anderson • Tom Blue Wolf • Angelou C. Ezeilo ... more on featured speakers here.

The conference will:

• Introduce leaders in the new administration to the dynamic culture of conservation, restoration, outdoor recreation and public lands stewardship that exists in communities of color.

• Solidify the relationship between national environmental leaders and policy makers with the grassroots leadership that is working at the community, state, regional and national levels.

• Present the broad diversity of conservation leaders to the public through the mass media attention focused on this conference.

• Provide a forum for Generation WE comprised of people 31-years-old and under to connect with policy makers and leaders to communicate their unique interests and needs that empower them to meet the challenges of the future.

• Bring little-known information to the community about the public lands system, including career, volunteer, recreation and business opportunities.

• Impart the historic and current contributions of color to the public lands system, which links to similar stories portrayed in the documentary, "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," by Emmy Aweard winner Ken Burns, premiering that same weekend, Sunday, September 27, 2009.