Outdoor brand The North Face has been working to increase diversity in outdoor sports for years. Aiming to help others in the industry — whether they work for a major retailer or run a local bouldering gym — do their part, the brand has launched a new course: Allyship in the Outdoors.
The digital course, which anyone can follow free of charge, takes around an hour to complete. It focuses on understanding the challenges people of color encounter in accessing the outdoors, how to level the playing field, and ways to make people feel safe and welcome.
Allyship in the Outdoors was developed with OUTO (Opening Up The Outdoors), a not-for-profit initiative that partners with brands and community leaders to provide POC a better experience when venturing into nature. OUTO was cofounded in 2021 by Phil Young and Keme Nzerem, alongside Adidas Terrex, Arcteryx, Patagonia, The North Face and Vivobarefoot.
