Outdoor Equity Coalition - Nature is a Human Right

Nature is a Human Right

Healing communities through equitable access to the outdoors

Welcome to the Outdoor Equity Coalition

The Outdoor Equity Coalition (OEC) is a restorative platform dedicated to ensuring that nature is truly a human right for all communities in Washington State, particularly those who have been historically excluded from outdoor spaces. Our mission is rooted in the understanding that access to nature is not a privilege—it is fundamental to human wellbeing, cultural identity, and collective healing.

For too long, Black, Indigenous, and communities of color have faced systemic barriers that prevented them from experiencing the healing power of the outdoors. From redlining and displacement to the erasure of contributions made by people of color in conservation, the legacy of exclusion runs deep. The OEC exists to dismantle these barriers, honor the wisdom of those who have been marginalized, and create pathways for true outdoor equity.

Through our 3-6-9 Framework, we work to Reconnect communities with nature, provide Recompense for historical wrongs, and ensure Recognition of BIPOC leadership in outdoor spaces. This is not just about access—it's about transformation, healing, and justice.

Our work is guided by the principle that youth leadership is essential to creating lasting change. By investing in the next generation of outdoor leaders, providing resources and training, and centering the voices of those most impacted, we are building a future where everyone can experience the joy, restoration, and connection that nature provides.

Hidden History: Uncovering Untold Stories

Honoring the profound contributions of Black communities to conservation, outdoor recreation, and environmental stewardship. These stories illuminate the resilience, innovation, and deep connection to the land that define Black outdoor leadership—past, present, and future.

Hidden History

Uncovering the untold stories of Black communities' contributions to conservation, outdoor recreation, and environmental stewardship throughout history.

Watch on YouTube →

Youth Voices Leading Change

The Youth-Led Youth Townhall Forum is the active gateway for the 3 → RECONNECT stage, serving as the physical space where personal life learning meets collective action. It is here that young people lead the room, facilitating high-level SET (Social, Environmental, and Technology) discussions to bridge the gap between their lived experiences and global issues. By centering youth voices as the primary authority, the Townhall provides the proving ground for leadership in a real-world setting. This is not just a meeting—it is the peer-selection arena where the next generation of leaders is identified and elevated by their own community to begin the work of World Repair.

The 3-6-9 Framework for Outdoor Equity

The Outdoor Equity Coalition’s transformational approach is rooted in the 3–6–9 Human Development Framework, an ancestral and universal logic made modern. This system is a healing-centered, nature-based leadership pipeline designed to move youth from disconnection to legacy. Rather than an extractive model, it is a restorative pathway built on three interconnected pillars that address the systemic barriers to nature and equity in Washington State.

Reconnect

The Power of Peer Connection

At the "3" stage, the foundation of belonging is built through the Youth Led Youth Townhall Forum. This space serves as the primary gateway for Reconnection, allowing young people to reclaim their voices and stories in a safe, non-judgmental environment. By facilitating these forums, the program identifies those who are naturally "seen" by their community. Reconnect isn't just about self-discovery; it is about peer validation. When youth are chosen by their own peers to move forward, it reinforces a sense of safety and cultural alignment, answering the foundational question: "Do I belong and am I heard by my community?"

Core Practice: TRICKS

In this space, reconnection is achieved through deep-dive discussions on SET (Social, Environmental, and Technology) issues, bridging the gap between personal experience and global awareness. This process is powered by TRICKS—Trust, Respect, Integrity, Consistency, Knowledge, Self-Esteem, and Self-Efficacy. More than just program rules, TRICKS is treated as personal life learning that anchors a young person’s identity. By practicing these values in the Townhall, youth earn the peer validation and self-belief necessary to be selected for the next stage of leadership and World Repair.

Recompense

Intergenerational World Repair

Once a leader is elevated by their peers, they enter the Recompense stage, which focuses on Repair. In this model, repair refers to the "World Repair" of the environment and systems inherited from previous generations. Rather than youth working in isolation, Recompense facilitates a unique collaboration where youth propose the strategies for change and work alongside previous generations to execute them. This stage provides the necessary investment—stipends, wages, and resources—to honor the youth’s labor as they lead the way in fixing inherited harms. It moves beyond simple work-for-pay and becomes a restorative partnership, answering the question: "How can my leadership and strategies repair the world I’ve inherited?"

Core Practice: ARC

n the 3–6–9 framework, ARC acts as the standard for the collaborative work between generations. Accountability ensures that the strategies proposed by youth are followed through with integrity; Responsibility defines the shared duty between youth and elders to fix the world they’ve inherited; and Credibility is the result—the earned trust that allows a young leader to move from a "participant" to a "system-shaper." When youth receive Recompense (stipends, wages, and certifications), it isn't just for their time; it is an investment in their demonstrated ARC. By meeting these standards during the growth stage, youth build the track record necessary to be structurally elevated to the "9" level of Recognition.ustainability through long-term commitments and equitable partnerships.

Recognition

From Peer-Leader to System-Shaper

The "9" stage completes the cycle by providing formal Recognition to the leaders who have successfully navigated the peer-led pipeline. Recognition at this level means moving beyond "practice" into true authority—giving these youth-selected leaders a seat at the governance table and the power to shape the Outdoor Equity Coalition itself. By publicly honoring their journey from the Townhall floor to program stewardship, the system creates a regenerative legacy. They become the elders and mentors for the next "3" stage, fulfilling the ultimate purpose of the 3–6–9 logic: "How do I inspire the next generation to follow the path I have helped build?"

Core Practice: SLE/SLM

The Recognition stage is defined by an overlay of SLE/SLM (Significant Life Events & Significant Life Moments), which transforms public acknowledgment into a deep validation of the leader's journey. Rather than just celebrating a title or a finished project, this phase centers on the transformative milestones—the specific breakthroughs and life-shifting moments—that occurred during the "World Repair" process. By honoring these SLEs and SLMs, the community publicly ties the young leader’s personal growth to their structural authority. This process turns lived experience into a documented legacy, ensuring that as youth step into governance and mentorship roles, they are recognized not just for what they did, but for who they have become through the 3–6–9 process.

Healing Through Nature

Healing Hikes provide a safe, culturally-responsive gateway to the 3–6–9 journey, centering wellness and land reclamation at every stage. Because the program allows for flexible entry, these hikes serve as a constant tool for restoration—moving from personal healing and reclaiming space, to intergenerational stewardship and world repair, and finally to legacy-building where youth lead others. By integrating nature throughout the entire pipeline, the program ensures that environmental connection remains the foundation of leadership, whether a participant is exploring their first trail or guiding the next generation.

Reclaiming Millersylvania: Truth, Memory, and Justice

In the depths of the Great Depression, thousands of young men were enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)—a New Deal program designed to provide jobs, restore landscapes, and build America's outdoor infrastructure. Among these workers was Company 1232, an all-Black CCC unit stationed in Washington State.

Millersylvania State Park

The story of Company 1232 and the all-Black CCC unit that built Millersylvania State Park.

Watch on YouTube →

These men built the roads, trails, bridges, and facilities that would become Millersylvania State Park—one of Washington's most beloved outdoor destinations. With their sweat, skill, and dedication, they shaped a landscape that continues to bring joy and restoration to thousands of visitors each year. Yet their contributions were systematically erased from the historical record.

No commemorative plaques, until a very small one was placed in 2025. due to complaints from Outdooe Equity Coilation. No recognition. Just silence.

This erasure is not an accident—it reflects a larger pattern of exclusion and devaluation that has defined the relationship between BIPOC communities and outdoor spaces. From the forced removal of indigenous peoples to the segregation of national parks, from redlining that limited access to green space to the whitewashing of conservation history, the outdoor recreation industry has been built on a foundation of systemic racism.

The Outdoor Equity Coalition is committed to truth-telling, restoration, and reparations. We are working with state and local partners to ensure that the story of Company 1232 is told, that their contributions are honored with permanent recognition at Millersylvania State Park, and that their legacy inspires a new generation of BIPOC outdoor leaders.

We remember. We honor. We reclaim.

This is not just about the past—it is about the future we are building. A future where every community can see themselves reflected in the stories told about the outdoors. A future where access to nature is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy and white, but a human right that belongs to all.

Join the Coalition

Together, we can create a future where every person has the right to heal, thrive, and lead in the great outdoors. By joining the Outdoor Equity Coalition, you commit to working toward a world where nature is truly accessible to all—where historical wrongs are acknowledged and addressed, where BIPOC communities are centered in conservation leadership, and where the outdoors is a space of healing, joy, and justice for everyone.

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