A Louisville group dedicated to encouraging outdoor events and camping in the Black community will have its second annual camping event this weekend.
I sat down with Brittiney Griffin, founder of Black Azz Camping, to talk about the event and her group’s mission.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Michelle Tyrene Johnson: You're here because you founded Black Azz Camping, which is spelled A-Z-Z. Tell us about that.
Brittiney Griffin: So Black Azz Camping, with two Zs, is basically getting Black people out in nature and outdoor recreation and creating that safe space and that environment for us to not only feel safe, but feel heard and seen, and not have to code switch. You know, we could just literally just be us. So I invite people to the space, whether it's camping, kayaking, canoeing, any outdoor adventures, hiking. And then also it's nationwide, so people from all over the nation come to these events.
MTJ: I would imagine that Black folks out camping is particularly a space where you have to be yourselves, where you where you have to lean into the authenticity and the trust of being around other Black folks.
BG: Absolutely. I love that you said lean in. We get a lot of first-time campers. Our first annual campout, it was 75% new campers, and they do have to rely on community. So we're building community. We have our three Cs — culture, connection and community — and we literally kumbaya it up. Each one teaching one. So with them being a newcomer it’s, ‘This is your space, too. Everybody's not perfect. You know, we mess up all the time, but thank goodness, you know, if you mess up, it's somebody right there that knows what they're doing to help you in any way possible.’
MTJ: So did you grow up with your family camping?
BG: I was in Girl Scouts, my mom was a troop leader. We did minor outdoor things. And then when I got older, I realized I could do what I want to do,and I wanted to go camping. And then it was just like, I'm going camping. And then I had my daughter, and I'm really going camping now, or chasing waterfalls and we would do the things. And then it's just like, ‘Let me bring my friends along.’ And they're like, ‘No.’ My heart sunk.
MTJ: Do you think that a lot of Black folks are resistant to camping, or is it just a lack of exposure, or do they go hand-in-hand?
BG: Well, I'll tell you three main pillars. First pillar, Jim Crow. Even post-slavery, farming was our bread and butter, that's how we earned our money. But Jim Crow really kind of got over on us, because when you go out into the woods, what does that look like? You coming out and seeing your brother, sister, auntie, cousin hung from a tree, you know? So you have trauma and generational trauma, and that's major in our community. So we're very hesitant. So no, we're not going to get in the water, we're not going to go camping, we're not going to do these things. And a lot of it is a traumatic response, and then you have the fear of the unknown. One of the things that we definitely do is we're in environmental justice spaces. We are in sustainability spaces, and then we also educate on our historical culture and present and future.
MTJ: So talk to me about the upcoming event, because you're having your second annual camping trip this weekend, right?
BG: Yes. So Oct. 10-12. I am super excited, and so is everybody else. We will have our second annual Black Azz Camping trip, and it will be on Black Roots Farm, and we have a lot of things going on. So Friday, we will have our BAC — which is short for Black Azz Camping — our BAC Cribs, tent edition. People really take pride in their camping equipment, so it's just like, let's get a quick view. So I'll go in and see what kind of tent you have, what you got, furniture-wise, all of that. Saturday, we'll kick off with a hike, and then we come back. We're having our Black Azz Music Festival. We have all type of local artists.
MTJ: How many people do you anticipate this year?
BG: I'm anticipating about 50. And it's still growing, like people are literally still buying tickets to this day, so gonna be probably a little smaller but more impactful.
MTJ: OK, well, thank you so much, Brittiney. I really appreciate it. This has been a great conversation.
BG: Yes, I appreciate you.
