Creating safety outdoors: how a black U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist gives back, sharing his passion for the outdoors with others

Rikeem Sholes, a fish biologist with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, has a passion for connecting people to nature and is paving a way for people of color to explore the outdoors. The Columbian newspaper featured Rikeem in an article last October. After reading the article we wanted to know more. Read our Q & A with Rikeem below to find out more about how his passion for getting people of color outdoors and how you can implement some of his suggestions with your agency.

LCNN: You grew up in New Orleans and spoke about how there wasn’t any nearby nature to find as a child. How is your experience in Clark County/Vancouver finding nearby nature?

Photo by Nic Raingsey

RS: A large part of why I’ve come to love this area is because, as far as outdoor recreation is concerned, it’s so different from where I grew up. There are so many parks and other outdoor spaces within a hour’s drive. If you drive two hours west, you can witness a fantastic coast and if you travel that same distance east you’re in high desert. You are spoiled for choice if you’re into the outdoors here.

LCNN: It sounds like you are working to create community and outdoor recreation opportunities for people of color. Is that something you started on your own, or within existing organizations like PDX Climbers of Color?

RS: Oh there’s no way I could have started any of that alone. When I moved here I was fairly new to outdoor recreation. PDX Climbers of Color existed for a little over a year before I came along and was started by a group of friends. I was lucky enough to be around when they started to pick up steam. There have always been at least 3 admin in that group. Portland POC Hikes I started but that was after I had gained a ton of experience co-leading Portland POC Outdoors for over a year. Even though I technically started that group I’ve never run it without the help of skilled admin. One of the things that makes running these groups worthwhile is that you get to run them with impressive people who become friends.

LCNN: The article mentions you received a grant to purchase equipment. Tell us more about that.

RS: Portland Metro has offered grants to outdoor organizations promoting underrepresented groups in the outdoors. They’ve been a huge supporter of both Portland POC Hikes and PDX Climbers of Color. Both of those organizations have a core goal of reducing the economic barriers of enjoying the outdoors so the gear library allows us to provide free gear to community members. Ideally, they use this gear until they can save to afford their own.

LCNN: The Lower Columbia Nature Network exists to reduce barriers for all to access nature. Our partners are always looking for ways to include everyone but we can miss opportunities. What suggestions do you have for our partners to create safety for all?

RS: I always advocate for organizations to offer low-cost training to underrepresented groups, specifically to train individuals in those communities who are interested in leadership roles. The reality is that people from minority groups are more likely to want to be taught by people in their community, people with shared culture and experiences. This approach addresses two of the biggest fears for new people entering the outdoors, cost of training and assuaging fear of the outdoors through knowledge.

LCNN: You comment in the article about the cultural hurdles of being outside. Can you explain more of where that comes from, what it feels like and what our partner agencies can do to help to remedy those fears?

RS: So I can really only speak for the black community on this issue but I get the sense that other underrepresented cultures may have similar hurdles. A large part of my people’s disconnect with the outdoors came from the pervasive idea that being alone in the outdoors wasn’t safe. This is an idea that has been passed along during and after the years of slavery when being caught alone in the middle of nowhere could lead to serious bodily harm or death for black people. Even if black people in those times were interested and motivated to go outdoors they were frequently excluded from any areas where the general public was allowed to do so safely. We largely moved into city centers for a sense of strength in numbers and job opportunities but that also took us farther away from the wilderness. The pacific northwest’s access allows us to provide a safe entry into outdoor recreation. Our job is to convince people to give us their time and to make that time meaningful. I think the remedy for that goes back to my last answer. Training people who will return to their community and invest in teaching them. Also, representation in your imagery would be as step forward.

LCNN: It sounds like you are very busy with your USFWS fish biologist position and now working towards your doctorate at WSU, how do you fit in all your outdoor recreation guiding?

RS: Short answer, I’ve had to do more delegating than I used to. Luckily, many qualified community members are willing to lead if we give them the platform to do so. My role has changed from leading events every other week to facilitating other people to do so.

LCNN: Tell us more about the connections made through your outings? Success stories of some who have overcome some of the barriers they previously felt?

RS: Personally I’ve met so many amazing people through these groups in the 5-6 years I’ve been doing this. The connections I’ve made here have drastically changed my life path. A friend I met at an outdoor event, Dr. Deepti Singh, was actually the person who connected me with my advisor at WSU Vancouver. Working as a biologist I don’t get to spend a lot of time around other people of color so these events do allow me the opportunity to connect with other.

I know that some of our group members have gone on to start their own groups and I’m extremely proud of that. One of the best things for me is when I see people who I met at our events go off and start their own climbing/hiking clique. Guiding them so that they feel safe enough to go off and scale a rockface or backpack without us is a really rewarding endeavor and we’re all really proud to have a part in people’s journeys.