Venus Williams, Clif Bar & Outdoor Afro Advance Equity & Access to the Outdoors
September 2, 2022
Tennis star Venus Williams has teamed up with energy drink and food company, CLIF BAR and Outdoor Afro, a non-profit that connects Black explorers to nature, to create opportunities for underserved communities to experience the outdoors in the US. This new employee-led CLIF CORPS venture will support equity and greater access to the outdoors and sports. It intends to elevate the benefits of exploring the outdoors, such as improving mental health and lowering stress and anxiety, to Black communities in particular.
Outdoor recreation carries both psychological and physiological benefits. A recent study led by Penn State University found that 1 in 5 Americans have taken to a new outdoor hobby since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, “many Americans are unable to experience the benefits due to inequities to the outdoors and sports,” says CLIF Vice President of Brands, Jodi Olson.
Statistics show that although people of color make up nearly 40% of the total US population, nearly 70% of people who visit national forests, national wildlife refuges and national parks are white, “while Black people remain the most dramatically underrepresented group in these spaces.” Additionally, people of color are three times more likely than the average US citizen to live in nature-deprived neighborhoods. Alongside several partners, CLIF BAR’s new venture plans to enact change and break down systemic barriers, creating more diverse and inclusive activities, shared Olson.
Williams expressed a desire to make a “meaningful impact to reconnect Black communities with the outdoors and sports through education, recreation and conservation.”
“I believe it’s critical to bring more opportunities for outdoor recreation to communities that may lack green space, infrastructure and access to nature...We need to overcome barriers around discrimination, access and social and economic disparity that keep people from feeling safe, accepted and able to enjoy activities like tennis, swimming or hiking which offer so much, both physically and mentally,” she stated.
The initiative will launch a series of ongoing giving and service partnerships with community groups such as the National Park Service. The goal is to provide opportunities for individuals across the US to participate in activities otherwise deemed inaccessible or unwelcoming for economic, social or emotional reasons.
Outdoor Afro and CLIF BAR have partnered for nearly a decade. Started over 10 years ago by Rue Mapp in Oakland, California, the organization is committed to inclusion through programs that connect Black explorers to nature through education, recreation and conservation across the country. To kick off this partnership, Outdoor Afro is offering a range of CLIF-sponsored outdoor experiences across the country including hiking, paddle boarding and kayaking.
CLIF BAR will continue to partner with its CLIF athletes to achieve greater access, representation and equality to the outdoors. These partnerships will see athletes donate their time and resources to support non-profit partners in making the spaces where they live and play more accessible and inclusive. The brand also announced plans to work on outdoor accessibility with Olympic medalist Suni Lee (gymnastics) and Paralympic medalist Daniel Romanchuk (track and field) in the coming months.