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Storytelling
Working Group
Telling accurate stories about our outdoor spaces is key to building a justice-oriented conservation and outdoor recreation movement. This means confronting the history of Colorado’s public lands as stolen Indigenous lands that have been historically segregated, excluding Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
The Storytelling Working Group celebrates the racially and culturally diverse leaders who are the past, present, and future stewards of Colorado. Next 100 Colorado centers the experiences and tells the stories of leaders of color working in outdoor spaces and conservation fields.
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Conversations Series
Next 100 Colorado’s Conversations Series invites leaders in civil rights, conservation, outdoor equity, public health, and/or other related movements to share their stories and dialogue with the membership.
Past speakers include John Echohawk, founder and executive director of the Native American Rights Fund; Happy Haynes, executive director of Denver Parks and Recreation; Nita Gonzales, Chicana activist and educator; and Derek Okubo, Amache descendant and executive director of the Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships for the City and County of Denver, Vu Le, co-founder of Community-Centric Fundraising and creator of Nonprofit AF; Steven Dunn, author of WATER & POWER and POTTED MEAT; Regina Jackson, co-founder of Race 2 Dinner and co-author of White Women: Everything you already know about your own racism and how to do better; and Rafael Salgado, Executive Director of Cal-Wood Education Center.
Elevating Voices Documentary
Next 100 Colorado partnered with the Salazar Center for North American Conservation at Colorado State University and Relight Creative to provide mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities to CSU students related to conservation, storytelling, and film production. The students completed a documentary film called “Elevating Voices” about climate, equity, and conservation in 2022.
Next 100 Colorado held two screenings of the film and facilitated conversation about climate and conservation equity, and supported two additional screenings from local nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Next 100 Colorado created a guide for future screenings of the film. This project supports present and future storytellers and is advancing a new conservation narrative. ​​
​Policy engagement
The storytelling working group has engaged state agencies on specific outdoor sites and in broader policy guidance related to inclusive and equitable stakeholder engagement for park planning, interpretation at parks, park naming and renaming, and other policy efforts related to storytelling. In all of its policy work, Next 100 Colorado centers the experiences and stories of people of color who are impacted by decisions made about our public lands.
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Something Yet Higher
In February 2020, in partnership with James Mills of the Joy Trip Project, Next 100 Colorado developed an exhibit (“Something Yet Higher”) for the American Mountaineering Museum, telling the story of Charlie Crenchaw, the first Black American to summit Denali. The project amplified an important figure in American history and celebrated the story of an important mountaineer, advancing a more accurate narrative about the history of the sport.
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Digital Comms
Next 100 Colorado’s communications contractor cultivates organic engagement and tells stories about the coalition’s work, membership, and other outdoor equity-related news on two social media platforms (Instagram, and Facebook), on its website (next100colorado.org), and through a biweekly newsletter. All of these platforms celebrate and center the experiences and stories of leaders of color working on outdoor equity.
Get Involved
Interested in supporting the Storytelling program with Next 100 Colorado? Consider becoming a member or ally of the coalition and subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with our event.
Have any questions for us? Reach out to Gemara Gifford (ggifford@rams.colostate.edu) or Modesta McGrath-Martínez (mmcgrath-martinez@keystone.org)​​​