Latria Graham Reflects on What It Means to Be Black in the Outdoors

Following a summer of uprising, the journalist reflects on the risks of wandering the outdoors while Black

Latria Graham’s essay in Outside comes two years after publishing another essay for the magazine that prompted scores of responses from readers. They asked how Graham keeps safe in remote outdoor spaces where non-white bodies aren’t necessarily welcome. Graham wasn’t sure what to tell them.

Until now.

“There are risks to being Black in the outdoors; I am simply willing to assume them. And that’s why I struggle to answer the senders of these messages, because I don’t have any tips to protect them.” What she offers, instead, is this.

Out There, Nobody Can Hear You Scream