In November, two Project Venture staff are presenting at the 50th Anniversary of the Association for Experiential Education International Conference, ”Let’s Re-Imagine the Future of Experiential Education Together!”
The presentation, “Rethinking Leave No Trace” Experiences from an Indigenous Perspective on Leave No Trace will be led by the Project Venture team of Heather Yazzie Campbell, Director of Project Venture in Albuquerque and Neal Ferris, Director of Training and Technical Assistance, will be joined by their colleague, Patrick Willmont. The Leave No Trace (LNT) Ethics is an ambitious start to limiting humanity’s ecological footprint. However, from an Indigenous perspective, LNT is missing a key component as it lacks a focus on the cultural impact people have on an environment. Jaime Johnson of The Outdoor Project released an article in March of 2018 titled “Rethinking LNT: Increasing Your Cultural Awareness.” This session will examine the history of Leave No Trace through an Indigenous lens and discuss how modern society can adopt the ancient wisdom innate in Indigenous cultures.
The conference will take place at the YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, in Black Mountain, North Carolina on the Indigenous land of the Mánu: Yį Įsuwą (Catawba), the ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee, East) and the S’atsoyaha (Yuchi) and acknowledges the enduring relationship that exists between the Indigenous peoples and the land. The conference can also be accessed online, November 10-13.
