Our guest for this episode is Anthony Owosekun, founder of EMPOCA, the only organization in Europe that connects Black kids and teens with nature. 

On the episode we talk about how Anthony’s experience in the Boy Scouts in Northern Germany influenced his connection with nature and drove him to start EMPOCA, how creating safe spaces to help children connect with nature can help cultivate key life skills like self-reliance, confidence and leadership qualities, and how forming that positive connection with nature can help ensure that they’ll want to act to protect it into the future. 

The work EMPOCA is doing is really important to make sure outdoor spaces feel welcoming for everyone. As we discussed with Keme Nzerem, co-founder of Opening Up the Outdoors, a few episodes ago this isn’t about exclusion, it’s about making sure all people feel safe in outdoor spaces, especially those people who have historically felt unwelcome. 

Huge thanks to Anthony for engaging in such an open and honest conversation. Especially since he was generous enough to conduct the interview in English rather than his native tongue, German, of which I haven’t not studied since I graduated from high school far too many years ago.

We did experience a few small audio issues, so please bear with us as this conversation is an important one and EMPOCA is an organization worthy of your support. Make sure to visit their website at empoca.org and yes there is a version in English for those of you like me who are not as skilled as our multi-lingual friends. 

Links

EMPOCA Website - https://www.empoca.org/ 

EMPOCA on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/e_m_p_o_c_a/