Brandan Freeman
Shades of the Outdoors
Founder
Brandan is a speaker and Outdoor Recreation DE&I Consultant from Ypsilanti. His work sits at the intersection of American history, Civil Rights, and outdoor recreation. Drawing on U.S. history, conservation policy, and social movements, Brandan examines how systemic exclusion has shaped who feels welcome on the trail, in national parks, and across outdoor institutions today.
Through Shades of the Outdoors, a BIPOC Outdoor Enthusiasts Community he founded, Brandan partners with nonprofits, community members, and outdoor organizations to facilitate events that encourage BIPOC to reengage with the outdoors.
Brandan is also an avid runner, backpacker, and hiker who has hiked in every property in the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission!
Sessions with Brandan
We Are Our Founding Fathers
TBD
America was founded in 1776 under the principle that all men were created equal. Sometimes, in our American story, we fail to live up to that principle. Although we may fall short, we’ve been continuously striving to live up to the principles established by our founding fathers. This constant drive towards equity gives us hope for a better nation. It also shapes our work in the outdoors. We’ve sometimes fallen short, but we will do better.
But have we really fallen short? Using 1776 as our north star hasn’t actually helped us build an equitable outdoors. Instead, 1776 is preventing us from creating one.
During America’s 250th anniversary, this session revisits the 1776 narrative. It re-examines who our founding fathers are and outlines a new model of outdoor inclusion modeled after leaders of a different era.
TBD