Perry Cohen
Executive Director, The Venture Out Project
The Culture
The best thing about working here is:
Getting to do work that is aligned with my values - social justice, outdoor adventure and queer community. Plus, I work with people I really like! And I can take naps in the office hammocks
When we’re not working, we’re:
Going on our own adventures, hanging out with our family and friends, planning our next adventure
What we’re reading:
American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West, by Nate Blakeslee
What we’re listening to:
The Shins, Tom Petty, Drive By Truckers, Dolly Parton, Lucinda Williams
If they made a movie about our workplace, it would be called:
“Queer Outdoors: An Adventure in Inclusion, Part 1, To be continued...”
Inclusion in the outdoors matters because:
Every person, regardless of identity, has the right to enjoy our natural world. That is what connects people, helps heal us, and empowers us to fight to preserve our home planet. (Making outdoor spaces and experiences accessible and welcoming is a critical step to making sure that every person feels safe and included outdoors. The earth is in crisis and if we want to save it we need every single person to help. In order for people to feel compelled to work for environmental justice and conservation they need to have the experience of walking in the woods, paddling on a river, seeing the stars at night, feeling a crisp breeze on their skin in order to understand the power and magic of nature and to fight to keep it. )
Five years down the line, it’s our hope that:
We are leading hikes in every state in the US as well as in Canada, that our staff and volunteers are reflective of our participants, that we are making strides towards social and environmental justice, and that we continue to help folks build and develop community in ways that feel authentic and inclusive to them.