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@jennybruso on Instagram

A Love Letter to Atlanta, ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Moody clouds lined in gold on the hottest days. Rain that gives Portland competition. Bigger bodies in smaller clothing. Diet culture is rampant and destructive *everywhere* but traveling so much for work shows me how especially bad it is on the west coast. A stranger *will* talk to you in the grocery store. People appear less guarded, polite. I know this isn’t the whole truth, but I prefer it to the passive aggressiveness of Portlanders who hover closely behind in aisles, as if afraid to say “excuse me.” It can feel like *I’m* in the way. Atlanta, I hike your trails with curiosity. My fingertips tingle from vibrations of chaos and pain as I put my hand to the ground. Brutal history radiates all over this country, but the south gets damned for it most. It’s just older here. My friend Kenya said, “people are outside, but we don’t call it ‘hiking.’” Trails are crowded, well loved. The white tears in outdoor culture about “how to get people of color outside” is a slim reality. People Of Color Are Outside. Everyone is. Gym bros fly past me. Women and femmes wear stylish activewear, Air Force Ones, made up faces, lashes, wild manes in all styles. It’s fucking beautiful. I love the space their voices take up. Mennonites gallop like antelope in bonnets, billowing skirts and Costco sneakers. Braided hair in thick ropes. There’s a confederate memorial nobody pays attention to, but my west coast self is shocked for a moment. This shit is all over Oregon, but less visibly. It’s messed up to find comfort in what’s hidden. After my hike, I drive through the park. The back of the mountain is carved with some George Washington scene. I think about all of the “pristine wilderness” hand-wringing of social media #LNT police who flock to places like this with pride and reverence. America! I keep driving and come across a tiny rally of Cowboys for Trump with flaccid American flags. Assholes. There are spring flowers and stands of trees everywhere, little forests in backyards. I’ve always been fascinated with forests. I learned from movies that magic and horror exist there. 📍This is ᎠᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee), Mvskoke (Muscogee/Creek) land.

I’ve been home for five days this month and I’ll be home for just as many next month. I know this isn’t sustainable, but I’m having one of the best times of my life. There are many hard things, too, but it all exists together. One doesn’t cancel out the other. I’m grateful for these moments of grace, while knowing gracelessness doesn’t invalidate my experience.

She is so damn special. I love you @nikkik_smith 💗

I’m at OR! When I’m not checking out panels, I’ll be hanging out at either Merrell or the Ranger Station. Come confront me about the email I owe you or to just say “hi” or set a meeting with me. I’ll also be at the OR inspiration awards at 6pm tonight. I’m, um, nominated alongside the incredible @elsyew and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin 🤷🏻‍♀️ #outdoorretailersummermarket #outdoorretailer #outdoorretailer2019 #unlikelyhikers #onetrail #merrellambassador #bossbitch

@UnlikelyHikers on Instagram

“The natural world, unaltered by cement, exploitation, and the carelessness of people, was a fantasy. My stack of hundreds of National Geographic books was my only contact with a world I knew existed, but would probably never see myself. Through a series of unlikely events, my fantastic dreams came true. I had the opportunity to work in zoos as a conservation educator and zoo keeper and learn about the immense diversity of native wildlife that was in such close reach without me ever knowing it. I’m now a biologist asking questions and looking closely at the natural world in a way I never thought was possible for me. I don’t want dreams like mine to be unlikely for kids like me. I want them to see themselves as part of the picture, not ‘other.’ As participants, not spectators. Because the world is ALL of ours.” -Corina | @hood__naturalist ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Pronouns: she/her/hers ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Corina’s blog: hoodnaturalist635144784.wordpress.com/ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Location: Skidaway Island, Savannah, Georgia. This land belongs to the Mvskoke (Muscogee/Creek) and possibly other tribes. #skidawayisland ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tag #unlikelyhikers to be featured! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ [image description: person playfully draped in spanish moss using binoculars. Sun shines through surrounding palm trees.]

Have you ever referred to a disabled person as “inspirational?” My friend @vasu_sojitra has shared some thoughts and experiences on this: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Y’all just call me “inspirational” because there’s a lack of representation. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ No matter how many times a person without a disability (PWOD) tells me that it’s a compliment, calling me “inspirational” will always be an ableist term to people with disabilities (PWD). Let’s break it down just a little with help from the article in my profile and my brain: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 1. It’s insulting when told to a PWD (different if talking to PWOD) 2. It reduces PWD **to** their disability (this is the major reason I tell people not to use it) 3. It puts PWD on a pedestal 4. Kids with disabilities become a spectacle and create savior complexes for PWOD 5. Incredibly overused and has lost its meaning within the disabled community **especially** when coming from a PWOD 6. It produces a false narrative of the PWD that a PWOD presumes 7. It solidifies the space PWD are in aren’t meant for PWD unless we assimilate and act like we don’t have a disability 8. Just like for folks of size, we don’t need you to be our cheerleaders in life **especially** on trail ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ What you **can** do is be anti-ableist by following disability advocates (a few tagged in the first photo), supporting accessible businesses/ businesses run by PWD, making your spaces and products i.e. conferences, meetings, trails, clothing all accessible, putting PWD in your marketing (#EqualRepresentation) and so much more, but easiest of all is how you talk. STOP 👏🏾 USING 👏🏾ABLEIST👏🏾 LANGUAGE like the “r” word or ahhh “inspirational”. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ This would’ve been my caption if I didn’t have to explain to you my existence: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Today’s run was great! Finally got my gimpy ass up Baldy. It took about 3.5 hrs over ~10 miles and a 4.3k elevation gain, but made it and now sipping beer. Cheers 🍻 to y’all for following along (more in my story highlights) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📷: @gerrygnarcia ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 📍Crow, Salish-Kootenai, Northern-Cheyenne, Niitsitapi, Shoshone-Bannock, and many other Tribal Nations’ land.

Seattle showed all the way up for Unlikely Hikers. When I say these hikes are as healing as they are fun, I’m not exaggerating! We had so many returning hikers and even some who drove up from Portland. The presence of old friends was affirming. The presence of new friends felt hopeful. Walking in the woods with you all is my favorite thing. This is #whyihike. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Biggest thanks to @eddiebauer, Daniela Lukomski & Angela Crampton for supporting us in ways beyond what I expected. Building this relationship has been as sweet as it was unexpected. I can’t wait for what’s next! Most sincerely, thank you ❤️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Location: Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park, Washington. This land belongs to the Duwamish, Puget Sound Salish and possibly other tribes. #cougarmountain ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tag #unlikelyhikers to be featured!

“My entire life, I’ve felt a deep connection with nature. It continues to deepen and expand to new levels and gives me a sense of peace as well as creativity. Elements found in nature are a powerful muse for me and can be found in most of my paintings and drawings. I love going on walking meditations, spending quiet time by the water and having ceremonies to honor and celebrate my connection with nature. Spending time in the forest, at the ocean, or sinking my hands and toes into the soil, feels like a homecoming. This feeling of belonging transcends beyond my existence, like a bridge to my ancestors and the energetic history of the land. Traversing a hiking trail, camping in the forest, canoeing down the river, and splashing in the ocean waves are cherished gifts. I want to be of service to the Earth. I’ve been studying permaculture design, green architecture, and environmental science focused on global climate change and geology. One way that I hope to offer support on a worldwide scale is creative environmental activism and online platforms to help mitigate climate change. As a self-proclaimed Earth Warrior, I believe we are all connected with each other as well as the Earth.” -Shanita | @shanitakingarts ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Pronouns: they/them/theirs, she/her/hers ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Location: Mount St. Helens, National Volcanic Monument, Washington. This land belongs to the Cowlitz and possibly other tribes. #Mountsthelens ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Tag #unlikelyhikers to be featured! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ [image description: person roped in on steep, snow-covered mountainside, with a few people below. They’re smiling and wearing winter layers.]

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Tag: Cascades

Cape Horn (+ writing)

“I look around and try to notice everything I possibly can, something I do when I need to get out of my head. Drenched neon mosses and licorice ferns growing off every alder trunk. The remaining leaves, a yellow deserving of new definition. The fog swirls thicker. Gratitude for green. All year, the seasons haven’t […]

Read More Cape Horn (+ writing)

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