Keynote Speaker
BIPOC Outdoors Summit @ Northern Michigan University – Save the Date
Save the date! The BIPOC Outdoors Summit @ Northern Michigan University will take place Monday, August 4, 2025 - Friday, August 8, 2025. The summit includes the BIPOC Outdoors Symposium, Monday, August 4 - Tuesday, August 5, 2025, a gathering of BIPOC individuals and allies from Michigan, the Midwest, and beyond to share best practices for facilitating BIPOC-centered spaces in outdoor recreation, environmental justice, and conservation movements. Attendees will engage with keynote speakers, panelists, and grassroots leaders, exchanging innovative strategies to strengthen the relationship between BIPOC communities and nature.
Complementing the symposium is the Michigan BIPOC Rest Retreat, Wednesday August 6 - Friday, August 8, 2025, designed to support BIPOC academics, environmental justice professionals, and community leaders at risk of burnout from combating racial and climate injustice. Over three days, attendees will reconnect with nature, themselves, and one another through low- to medium-intensity activities, fostering renewal and resilience. This initiative aims to break down barriers to participation, create inclusive outdoor spaces, and promote mental health benefits. Together, these programs address knowledge gaps, activate systems-level change, and build a more inclusive community, advancing the goals of catalyzing sustained environmental and social impact.