Southwest Leaders of Color Expedition

Build your outdoor education skills in a supportive community

Join this affinity group expedition to expand your leadership and technical outdoor skills. Designed for self-identified people of color who are current or aspiring trip leaders, this course is an opportunity to learn new teaching strategies and hone risk management skills. Explore striking riparian canyons and pinyon juniper forests as you backpack through Arizona’s Coronado National Forest. Learn about the area’s rich natural history while building community in your group. Bring your voice to changing the narrative around who is a leader in the outdoors through discussions facilitated by your instructors. On this course, you’ll have the time and space to engage in conversation about how systems of oppression show up in wilderness expeditions—and how to navigate and challenge those systems.

You’ll also grow as a leader and educator through a guided leadership progression. Working with your team to navigate off-trail is a chance to refine the skills you need to supervise others while traveling in the backcountry. Reviewing Leave No Trace principles is an opportunity to consider new ways of presenting core outdoor education concepts. Observing your instructors’ behind-the-scenes planning offers fresh insight into course management techniques. You and your teammates will bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to this expedition. Through learning together and celebrating that diversity, you’ll leave this course inspired and ready to implement new teaching strategies on your next trip.