SYATT – See You At The Top: Making the Outdoors More Accessible to POC – The National Parks Experience

Featured Outdoor Diversity Organization: See You At The Top (SYATT)

Our continued community effort to raise awareness of organizations working to make the outdoors more diverse and inclusive continues! This month, we’re highlighting See You At The Top (SYATT).

Because outdoor spaces have not always been welcoming and safe for people of color, SYATT aims to make outdoor spaces more accessible, while simultaneously creating joyful experiences in them. Consider supporting this month’s organization by donating to their cause and/or sharing their content and work on social media. 

Photos in this blog post are courtesy of SYATT.

About SYATT

SYATT is an organization based out of Cleveland, Ohio. Founded in 2009, inspired by Michelle Obama and fueled by a desire to connect youth populations to outdoor sports, SYATT has since served hundreds of young people of color.

By recognizing the traumas people of color have faced in the U.S., SYATT has a vision where people of color can experience the world, empowered and with a sense of belonging, in spaces where nature belongs to everyone.

Their mission is to support their communities through various culturally relevant programs, allowing for youth and adults to engage with nature, finding joy, relief and life-changing transformation. 

Programs

SYATT offers a wide range of programs. Winter activities include skiing and snowboarding, from day and weekend trips to a full 6 weeks of youth ski instruction.

Their Hoodwink Holiday program, on the other hand, is a destination experience exploring local culture, history and the natural wonders of the chosen location. SYATT is also a founding member of Get Black Outside. Excursions include various outdoor activities, such as kayaking, canoeing, biking, skiing and skating. 

In addition to their outdoor programs, SYATT also offers consulting services, focusing on social justice and equity. For high school students, the U Matter Institute has youth curriculums, including subjects like civil rights, history and culture, which examine the impacts on minorities through a global perspective. 

Founders 

SYATT was founded by a mother-daughter trio: Marcia, Ebony and Erika Hood. While Marcia encouraged her daughters to spend time outdoors, growing up in Cleveland, Ebony and Erika were no strangers to recognizing the barriers Black Americans faced when it came to outdoor recreation.

They spend time facilitating outdoor activities, such as biking, hiking, skiing and snowboarding, often recreating at their nearby national park, Cuyahoga Valley National Park. 

Support and Donate

Please consider supporting this organization directly. Donations can be made in the following way:

Money contributions help fund SYATT’s programs for Black and Brown youth and adults. We encourage making recurring donations because they’re a reliable source of support for SYATT’s mission.

Follow See You At The Top (SYATT)

You Can Help Bridge the Race Gap in the Outdoor Industry

An overview of organizations we have supported can be found here. This document contains information about what these organizations are doing and how you can donate to them directly.

We also set up a submission form you can use if you know an organization that’s working to make the outdoors more diverse and inclusive. If you want to see them supported, please submit via this form.