AAPI History Month in the Outdoors

This AAPI Heritage Month, it’s the perfect time to celebrate the rich diversity and cultural heritage of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. What better way to honor and reconnect with nature and culture than by organizing outdoor group activities? In this blog post, we will explore how these outdoor activities can provide a unique opportunity to celebrate AAPI heritage while fostering unity, appreciation, and meaningful connections.

1. Group hikes

Nature can be best appreciated when shared with others. Not only is hiking physically and visually rewarding, but the relationships you can make during this shared experience can lead to incredibly connective conversations. Besides looking at the surrounding woods and beautiful views, one of the best ways to pass time while hiking is through sharing stories, and you can truly get to know someone during the miles you walk together.

2. Group camping

If you’re looking for a slower-paced and more relaxing pastime, group camping is a great alternative! There is a special kind of connection that comes from spending extended time with people in the woods. Whether you’re camping for a night, two nights, or a week, there will be plenty of time to connect over shared experiences. There is lots of downtime while building fires, cooking foods, roasting s’mores, and just spending time around the camp. It’s a great way to facilitate conversations and allow people to get comfortable around each other over an extended period of time.

3. Group fishing trips

For the most slow-paced pastime, fishing is a great activity to do in a group! Fishing is an inherently time-consuming past-time, so what better way to make that time pass than with other people? You can build a strong sense of community while casting a line and catching fish all day. It is rewarding in many ways; from how many fish you get, to the deep connections you can make with new friends while out on the water.

4. Sharing a meal

Perhaps the one universal language in the world is food. So much can be conveyed through authentic meals made from the heart. This is an easy and delicious way to share your culture with others and learn about theirs as well. Sharing meals can be done in so many ways, from a large-scale group picnic, to cooking around a campfire, to a lunch brought along during a hike.

During the month of May, make it a priority to celebrate the diversity and culture of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. They have so much to offer each other and the world, and it’s always important to connect with other people, see their perspective on life, learn their story, and see how it expands your worldview. Nature is a great way to facilitate those connections. You will leave the experiences listed above - from hiking, to camping, to fishing, to sharing a meal - not only with pictures of a great view, great memories, and a full belly, but also with new knowledge you can move through the world with potentially a new close friend.