Recording of the panel discussion “Writing Our History” which was a part of “Black Like Me – Outdoor Edition” Film Festival:
https://www.crowdcast.io/e/tpl-black-like-me-film-festival-panel
This program was moderated by Demiesha Dennis, an avid fishing, birding, and all-around outdoor enthusiast from Jamaica who currently resides in Toronto and is actively changing the narrative through adventures as @BrownGirlOutdoorWorld on Instagram.
Panel discussion special guests:
- Chelsea Murphy – Activist harnessing the power of social media to help diversify the outdoors. Find her @She_ColorsNature on Instagram.
- Elladj Baldé – Professional figure skater, co-founder of the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance (FSDIA), a diverse coalition reflecting a vast multi-national and multi-racial skating family. Find him @ElladJBalde on Instagram.
- Jacqueline L. Scott – Writer and Ph.D. student in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto whose research is on #BlackOutdoors, sharing the woods as a Black space and diversity in the outdoors.
- James Edward Mills – Freelance journalist specializing in stories about outdoor recreation environmental conservation and sustainable living at https://joytripproject.com/
- Judith Kasiama – Activist, advocate for inclusivity in the outdoor industry, and founder of @ColourTheTrails, a community group for BIPOC and allies interested in outdoor activities.
Listen to the stories and hear the voices of community activists, filmmakers, adventurers, and everyday people whose work challenges the narrative, writes history and reimagines our relationship with the land, ourselves and each other.
We would like to thank Toronto Public Library for providing a platform for this panel.