2026 BIPOC Outdoors Summit @ NMU
Monday
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Registration, Lite Breakfasts & Networking | Waino Wahtera Pavilion
9:00 AM to 9:15 AM
Opening Song, Land Acknowledgment | Waino Wahtera Pavilion
9:15 AM to 9:30 AM
Welcome | President Chris Olsen | Waino Wahtera Pavilion
9:30 AM to 9:45 AM
Summit Highlights | Waino Wahtera Pavilion
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Why I Run: The Heart Behind WeRun313
Presenter(s): Lance Woods
Location: Yurt | 9th - 12th grade youth session, but all ages are welcome
Adaptive/inclusive recreation demonstration experience
Presenter(s): Zach Zuchowitz
Location: Waino Wahtera Pavilion | Target audience: College students, community leaders, and outdoor professionals
MI DNR Adult Focus Forum (2-hour presentation)
Presenter(s): Hannah Douglas
Location: Northern Center, Penn III
10-person limit
Trailblazers: Becoming Leaders in Outdoor Recreation with the EEC
Presenter(s): Emily Hanes, Michaline Dutkiewicz & Matt Cramer
Location: Fire Site Pavilion
11:15 AM to 12:15 PM Keynote
Where You're From, Who You Are: Stories of Identity, Place, and Belonging
Presenter(s): Jean Alicia Elster
Location: Yurt | 9th - 12th grade Youth Session, but all ages are welcome
Shaping Outdoor Narratives
Presenter(s): Alice Jasper & Lorena Aguayo-Marquez
Location: Waino Wahtera Pavilion
12:15 PM to 1:30 PM
Picnic Lunch & Networking at NMU’s Waino Wahtera Pavilion
1:45 PM to 2:45 PM
Bridging the Distance: My Embrace of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Presenter(s): Keynote Jean Alicia Elster
Location: Waino Wahtera Pavilion
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
MI DNR Student Focus Forum (2-hour presentation)
Presenter(s): Hannah Douglas
Location: Northern Center, Penn III
10-person limit
Walking together: "Two-Eyed Seeing" as a path toward holistic understanding in the outdoors (90 minutes)
Presenter(s): Andie Balenger & Brynn Jannetta
Location: Yurt
Sustainable and Inclusive Food Systems on Campus and at Home
Presenter(s): Katy Pawlusiak
Location: NMU Hoop House & Woodland Park
Start the Cycle
Presenter(s): Kate Dohnal
Location: Fire Site Pavilion | 9th - 12th grade Youth Session, but all ages are welcome
5:45 PM
Pre-race Announcements
Run With Lance: WeRun313 Founder Leads the 5K
6:00 PM
5K Race Start
Tuesday
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Registration, Lite Breakfasts & Networking | Waino Wahtera Pavilion
10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Writer's Craft Workshop: Writing the Wild: Craft, Nature, and the Making of Black Summers
Presenter(s): Jean Alicia Elster
Location: Waino Wahtera Pavilion
We The Earth: Creating the UP's QTBIPOC Retreat Space
Presenter(s): Dr. Tayla Shanae Ealom and Dr. Michael Lynn Wellman
Location: Yurt
Careers in Parks & Recreation session
Presenter(s): Nichole Fisher
Location: Fire Site Pavilion
Superior Watershed Partnership
Presenter(s): Kathleen Henry
Location: Lake Superior Shoreline (exact location TBD one week before conference)
11:15 AM to 12:15 PM Keynote
Running Toward Something: A Story of Purpose, Community, and Drive
Presenter(s): Lance Woods
Location: Waino Wahtera Pavilion
12:15 AM to 1:30 AM
Picnic Lunch & Networking at NMU’s Wahtera Pavilion
2:00 PM to 5:00 PM | Local Excursions
Decolonizing Diet Project Workshop
Presenter(s): Dr. April Lindala & Pamela Valdez
Location: Love Marq Church & (weather permitting) Fire Site Pavilion
20-person limit
Trailblazers: Camp Like a Pro with the EEC
Big Bay Environmental Education Center
Presenter(s): Emily Hanes & Michaline Dutkiewicz
Location: NTN Trailhead/EZPZ Trail | 9th - 12th grade, but all ages are welcome
Partridge Creek Compost - Transforming Food Scraps to Soil
Presenter(s): Nancy Taylor & Meghan Maas
Location: Partridge Creek Farm
Chocolay Bayou River Tour & Kona Private Lake Tour
Presenter(s): Tony Barnes
Location: NMU Private Beach
8-person limit
6:00 PM
Summit After Party at Presque Isle Pavilion
2026 BIPOC Outdoors Rest Retreat @ NMU
The Rest Retreat will be held at the Raging River Campground Resort—a peaceful setting designed for rest, connection, and renewal.
Basic Registration
$250 per person
Your registration includes a 3-day, 2-night shared campsite experience, two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners. Participants will need to bring and set up their own camping equipment. Each campsite accommodates up to two tents and six people, creating a comfortable, community-oriented space.
Optional Add-Ons
To make your experience more accessible and ease your preparation, the following add-ons are available:
- $40 – 3-day/2-night tent rental
- $20 – 3-day/2-night sleeping bag rental
- $20 – 3-day/2-night sleeping mat rental
- $40 – 2-person tent setup and tear down
- $60 – 4-person tent setup and tear down
Retreat Highlights
Top of the World Outlook or Harlow Lake
We The Earth (retreat center) or Burns Landing Park & Beach
Campfire evenings with s’mores, storytelling, and laughter
Time to rest, wander, or do absolutely nothing without guilt
Small, intimate group (15–20 people) for a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere
Wednesday lunch and dinner, Thursday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and Friday breakfast included
Registration is closed for 2026
To help you feel comfortable and prepared, we’ve put together a suggested packing list. Use this as a guide and bring what works best for you. A limited amount of camping gear is available to reserve during registration.
Clothing
Upper Body: Base layer, hiking shirt, rain jacket, sports bra (if applicable), and a warm mid-layer (fleece)
Optional: Wind jacket, swimsuit
Lower Body: Base layer, hiking or wind pants, shorts, and 2–3 pairs of underwear
Optional: Hiking shorts, rain pants
Headwear
Baseball cap or wide-brim sun hat
Packs & Bags
Daypack or backpack
Sleeping & Camp Gear
Sleeping bag, sleeping pad or air mattress, tent, camp chair, towel
Optional: Ground cloth, tarp, hammock
Footwear
Hiking boots or shoes, durable socks, camp or water shoes
Essentials
Reusable water bottle, insulated mug, snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, headlamp (with batteries), lighter, toiletries, trash bags, pocket knife, and optional comfort items like a book, trekking poles, or a notebook
Hygiene
Toothbrush/toothpaste, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, biodegradable soap, and personal items as needed
Wednesday
Top of the World Lookout, Marquette, MI
9:00 am | Meet in Northern Center parking lot (boxed lunches distributed)
10:00 am | Top of the World Lookout
Picnic Lunch on Top of the World
Menu: Boxed lunch includes sandwich, chips, piece of fruit, cookie, and water
3:00 pm | Campsite setup and scavenger hunt
6:00 pm Dinner, followed by campfire and classic s'mores
Menu: BBQ chicken, ribs and smoked brisket; Calico Baked Beans (VEG), Garlic Roasted Red & Yukon Potatoes (GF, V), Brownwood Coleslaw (GF, VEG), Garden Salad, Garlic Green Beans (GF, V), Sparkling Punch
Thursday
Big Bay, MI
7:00 am | Breakfast
8:30 am | Boxed lunches distributed
Menu: Boxed lunch includes sandwich, chips, piece of fruit, cookie, and water
8:45 am | Depart for Big Bay
10:00 am | We The Earth (retreat center) or Burns Landing Park & Beach
Lunch at retreat center or the beach
3:00 pm | Fly Fishing (state license required) at campsite or chill at resort arcade/pool/jacuzzi/river chairs
6:00 pm | Dinner, followed by campfire and strawberry s'mores
- Menu: Garlic & Herb Chicken (GF), Whitefish En Papillote (GF), Garlic Roasted Red & Yukon Potatoes (GF, V), Italian Pasta Salad (VEG), Wild Rice & Cherry Salad (GF, V), Roasted Root Vegetables (GF, V), Freshly baked rolls with butter, Assorted Cheesecake, Sparkling Punch
Friday
7:00 am | Breakfast
9:00 am | Gratitude Circle
10:30 am | Campsite breakdown and pack up
11:00 am | Depart
Accommodations
Summit
- Ramada Inn and Suites
- $109.00 per night
- Booking is closed for 2026
- Superior Stay Hotel
- $149.00 per night
- Please book before July 26th
- Raging River Resort and Campground
- Camping site: $75.00 per night
- Booking is closed for 2026
Transportation Info
We’ll be heading out together as a group to a few different locations, but please plan to drive your own vehicle and feel free to coordinate carpooling with others if you’d like—it’s a great way to connect and reduce our impact.