Environment + Race:

Recreation Access & Perspectives on Public Lands

Date: April 22, 2021 - Earth Day!

Time: 6:45pm for Boot Juice LIVE MUSIC - Panel starts at 7:00pm

Location: ZOOM (click for link)

The series concludes in April with one final event in collaboration with Plumas Earth Days committee. With panelists Faith E. Briggs, Mario Guel, and Nizhoni O'Connell, we explore the topic of Environment + Race. The three panelists share a passion for the Outdoors that is evident from their careers and life choices.

Briggs' short film This Land,  will be shown, and the band Boot Juice, featuring two graduates from FRC Outdoor Recreation Leadership program, will play live as we get settled!

FRC's Dr. Darla DeRuiter, Professor of Environmental Studies and Outdoor Recreation Leadership, will host the event. Details on our esteemed panelists are listed below. 

Faith E. Briggs

Faith is a creative producer passionate about sharing contemporary stories from diverse communities who most need to be passed the mic. She is Brooklyn to Portland transplant, professional nerd and fierce advocate for a greener tomorrow. She is one of the partners and directors at Camp 4 Collective. Faith believes sharing stories is the best way to promote needed conversations in fractured times. She is grateful for the life changing knowledge of literary grandmothers such as Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Cade Bambara and more. She daydreams about picking the leaves off cilantro stems with elders on front porches that can only be reached by dirt roads. Her feet have brought her - running and trekking and fishing and riding - around the world working with brands and non-profits to share stories from those who most need to be passed the mic. Her best known projects include This Land (2019), Brotherhood of Skiing (2018) and We Hike to Heal (2020). In March 2021 she launched a podcast called The Trail Ahead.

Mario Guel

Mario is a 40 year old Bay Area native who now lives in the Sierra Nevada, pursuing a love for fly fishing and the outdoors. He is owner and head guide for "Taco Fly Co.", a fly fishing lifestyle brand and outfitter service celebrating the love for fly fishing, fun, and tacos! Born and raised a fisherman who grew up skateboarding in the California Bay Area, Mario fell back on his love for the mountains and fishing to help him through an injury that had him limping around for over a year. After three surgeries and intensive physical therapy, he came out of the injury stronger and determined to make a life and career in the outdoors.

Nizhoni O'Connell

Nizhoni O’Connell (Diné/Odawa + Irish/Austrian) resides and grew up in Plumas County.   She studied Earth and Planetary Sciences (AB ’16 Harvard University), focused in geology, and now ekes out existence perhaps not under a rock, but in the company of all sorts of interesting rocks. Nizhoni enjoyed a semester at FRC pursuing a certificate in Outdoor Recreation Leadership.  She loves family, friends, community, and comic--as well as topographic--relief.