Outdoor Mentorship Experiences for Urban Youth
Fostering Leadership, Brotherhood, and Inclusion in the Outdoors
Who We Are
Camping to Connect is a BIPOC-led experiential mentorship program that uses outdoor recreation and nature immersion to address the diverse issues faced by young men of color in America’s cities—from mental health to healthy masculinity.
We provide young men of color with a safe space for meaningful conversations, connecting them with nature, their peers, and dedicated mentors. Our leadership reflects the backgrounds of our youth participants, fostering a vital paradigm shift in their self-perception and understanding of their place in the world.
Access to Nature
Research tells us that regular time outdoors is essential for children’s healthy development. Kids from marginalized urban communities lack access to wild spaces. We believe in providing equitable access to the natural world for all.
Our goal is to change the narrative of who belongs in outdoor spaces and help these young men unlock their potential.
Our Program
Our weekend-long wilderness camping trips and day hikes are designed for young men aged 13 to 18 from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities in the New York City and Denver metro areas.
Participants learn essential outdoor skills, develop emotional self-awareness, build confidence, and create lasting bonds. All activities are offered at no cost to participants. We plan to expand our reach to other cities across America by 2025.
WOOD HOOD
WINNER: Best Short Film: 2022 Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival
Watch the trailer to Wood Hood—an award-winning documentary short film about Camping to Connect.
The film follows DeVaughn, a 15-year-old kid from New York City who loves skateboarding and craves a "quiet place,” on his weekend-long group camping trip with Camping to Connect.
“Children who feel a connection with the natural world are happier, healthier, and smarter.”
— Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Testimonials
“I feel like being around nature my mind is more at peace.”
- Ryan V, Camping to Connect participant
“Being in this open space, with cleaner air and water by us – it allows you to breathe differently.”
Carlos Davila, Camping to Connect Mentor
