Being black while in nature: 'You're an endangered species'

Many black nature-lovers have to employ defense mechanisms - lest a situation turn sticky and they have to answer questions from a suspecting police officerIt was 2011 when Rue Mapp was followed by a white woman in an Oakland, California, park, while out on a national campaign to get local families connected with nature. The woman had spotted the group en route to the park and decided to follow them. When they got off the bus, she followed them all the way through the park, and when they began to play in the dirt, she started to harass them. She claimed they were bringing "invasive species" into the park. Continue reading...