Today’s episode features my fellow Piscean and Columbus, Ohio born and raised, Nate Pierce. A climber, a snowboarder, and honestly an all around tremendously talented human. I first came across Nate’s instagram when I first moved to Mammoth back in 2019 and immediately felt drawn to his page because he was a black climber spending time in places I also recreate in. In this discussion we explore how Nate got into climbing and snowboarding, as well as the other creative outlets he partakes in such as film, painting, and writing among other things. We touch on the importance of stewardship outdoors and pushing beyond fears to explore new experiences.

Nate! Thank you so much for being a guest on Black in Wild! It was really cool for me to get to know you better after having followed along with your journey all these years. I’m inspired by your grit and tenacity as well as the ways you express yourself through different mediums. I felt especially connected to the ways you describe the feelings you get when you spend time in nature and the need to let out all of the thoughts running through your head regularly. As those sentiments are similar to why I have chosen to live where I do and participate in the activities that involve being outdoors. Keep representing and showing up as your unapologetic self.

Be sure to check out Nate’s silent film Sleeping in Silence and follow along on his instagram @noapproachnate.

Visit blackinwild.com for all things Black in Wild and subscribe to the newsletter for behind the scenes updates and information! Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Facebook.

Note: The opinions and perspectives represented in this episode and on this podcast are not representative of any business, agency, or organization.

This episode features another friend I’ve known since the beginning of my Yosemite days, Jennifer Nunez. During this conversation me and Jennifer discuss the transformative experiences she had while spending time outdoors with family and friends from a young age both in Mexico and the U.S. We go into how her journey led her to pursue her education and a career in organic farming. Throughout this conversation we discuss the importance of mental and physical health as well as the community you contribute to. If you have ever experienced discrimination while outdoors, and/or have a passion or interest in organic farming then this episode will speak to you!

Jen! Thank you so much for being a guest on Black in Wild the Podcast! Your story is a reminder of the positive and negative experiences black and brown people have while being outdoors. I’m thankful that you chose to use what you’ve learned to not only better yourself but also your community. One of the takeaways I have from our conversation is that spending time in nature isn’t new to POC, we are simply returning back to our roots. Jen has since had her baby. Congratulations to her and her partner!

Be sure to visit blackinwild.com for all things Black in Wild! And sign up for the Black in Wild substack to stay up to date on behind the scenes information you won’t find anywhere else!

This is the first episode of season 3! Welcome back to all of my listeners and hello to those tuning in for the first time. This episode features my friend Anna Natal whom I’ve known since my first season in Yosemite back in 2017. During this conversation Anna shares about the rough childhood she endured where she was forced to grow up quickly while living in the hood, to her experience moving to Yosemite and traveling, and describing what the journey has been like to eventually becoming a National Park Service Interpretive Ranger in Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park today. Her story is inspiring because it touches on finding beauty in life even after hardships. And that it’s never too late to choose a different path for yourself. If you’ve ever been curious about untraditional pathways into an NPS career and/or come from a challenging past, then Anna’s story will resonate with you.

Anna! Thank you so much for being a guest on Black in Wild the Podcast! The more I heard about your story the more I realized how much more we have in common that I knew otherwise. What stands out to me from your story is resilience, chosen family, and fresh starts. Out of everything you’ve been through you had every excuse to give up and yet you kept choosing to keep going. And that although you didn’t experience much positive encouragement growing up, what helped you along the way was the chosen family you developed over time. People who didn’t owe you anything but saw something in you and believed that you could achieve great things. As well as deserved to! Lastly, you’ve started over more times that I can count yet choose to make the most out of every situation. You’re a great example of creating your own community and being the change you want to see. I’m so proud of all that you’ve accomplished! Can’t wait to see what else you do and where you go! Thanks for representing the green and gray!

*Note: the opinions and perspectives represented in this podcast are not representative of any agency, organization, business, or company.

Be sure to visit blackinwild.com for all things Black in Wild! Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter to stay up to date. Episodes will be posted bi-weekly!