As polarity within our world grows, the land continues to be how I restore my spirit to continue to show up most fully for others, especially the marginalized. I’ve seen how access, reflection, and care can transform lives, and hiking has become a way for me to cultivate that same focus and resilience. I'll be hiking the International Appalachian Trail's Quebec portion from Parc National de la Gaspesie to Forillon National Park, using the trail to deepen my connection to myself, the land, and the work I carry forward in the community. Through conversation, I'm also hoping to change narratives and work towards making the outdoors a more diverse, accepting, and loving landscape.

In 2022, I took on the 52 Hike Challenge, and what started as a physical outlet became a truly transformational spiritual re-grounding. Nature has profoundly supported my physical and mental health healing journey and has deepened my connection to my ancestors. And now, as a Black Men Hike board member and outdoor guide with Kuji Hiking Crew, I help others reconnect too. Taking on this feat, attempting the Tahoe Rim Trail, is an opportunity for me to deepen my relationship with Mother Earth further and (hopefully) inspire many other Black and Folks of color to get outside and build their own relationship with Mother Earth.

​I am Anishinaabe and Cree from Yellow Quill First Nation. My mom is a residential school survivor and my dad is a Sixties Scoop survivor (where Indigenous children were taken into foster care instead of residential school). When they were both children, they ran to survive. My dad would take off into the bush for days at a time with nothing but a tarp to escape his foster home, and my mom ran away from residential school. This journey brings me back to my traditional homelands, where I will hike the distance from the residential school my mom attended to our home community. I’m carrying the truth of their stories with me, acknowledging where they came from, and continuing them forward in my own way.

I applied to the ALDHA West Diversity Scholarship to deepen my relationship with the outdoors through long distance hiking, as financial barriers had made longer routes difficult to fully commit to. I have built experience through solo road trips, camping, and backpacking, and I am ready for a continuous long distance hike. As a queer person of color, I am proud to represent and uplift my community while building a sense of belonging in outdoor spaces. With this support, I will set out to complete the Tahoe Rim Trail and continue building endurance, self trust, and connection to the natural world.