'I failed to see people like me enjoying the outdoors'

Article excerpt

Soul Trail Wellbeing, a UK organization, works to reconnect people from ethnic minority backgrounds with outdoor spaces and nature. The initiative addresses a gap its founder identified: the near-complete absence of Black, Asian, and other minority ethnic people in mainstream outdoor recreation and nature photography. Through guided walks, workshops, and community events, Soul Trail aims to make outdoor activities feel welcoming and accessible to groups historically underrepresented in hiking, camping, and environmental spaces. The organization tackles both practical barriers, like cost and proximity to green spaces, and cultural ones, seeking to shift perceptions that the outdoors is primarily a white leisure pursuit.