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In San Francisco (SF), many environmental factors drive the unequal burden of preterm birth outcomes for communities of color. Here, we examine the association between human exposure to lead (Pb) and preterm birth (PTB) in 19 racially diverse SF zip codes. Pb concentrations were measured in 109 hair samples donated by 72 salons and barbershops in 2018-2019. Multi-method data collection included randomly selecting hair salons stratified by zip code, administering demographic surveys, and measuring Pb in hair samples as a biomarker of environmental exposure to heavy metals. Concentrations of Pb were measured by atomic emission spectrometry. Aggregate neighborhood Pb levels were linked to PTB and demographic data using STATA 16 SE (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX, USA). Pb varied by zip code (p < 0.001) and correlated with PTB (p < 0.01). Increases in unadjusted Pb concentration predicted an increase in PTB (β = 0.003; p < 0.001) and after adjusting for poverty (β = 0.002; p < 0.001). Confidence intervals contained the null after further adjustment for African American/Black population density (p = 0.16), suggesting that race is more indicative of high rates of PTB than poverty. In conclusion, Pb was found in every hair sample collected from SF neighborhoods. The highest concentrations were found in predominately African American/Black and high poverty neighborhoods, necessitating public health guidelines to eliminate this environmental injustice.

A "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column interviewing the paleontologist and educator Dr. Lisa White, who is one of the few African American women in the field of geoscience.

A "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column on how taking joy in nature is an essential part of good health.

A "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column on how collaborative conservation programs must address common social, ecological, and economic goals and not emphasize merely one of these areas. To truly engage all stakeholders, public involvement must be inclusive.

A "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column on the relationships between systemic racism / power inequities and access to parks and other public lands and open space.

A "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column.  A review of organizations who pioneered the involvement of persons of color in park stewardship, outdoor recreation, historic preservation, and other forms of place-based conservation.

A "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column.

This "Coloring Outside the Lines" editorial column makes connections between the experience of multiracial people and marine conservation.

Outdoor adventure may improve body image. However, minimal research exists on the effect outdoor adventure has on body image in adolescent girls, a demographic continually plagued by negative body image. In response, this exploratory study considered the influence of one outdoor adventure program in the San Francisco Bay Area. Through questionnaires and focus groups, 13 high school-aged GirlVentures, Inc. (GV), alumnae discussed body image in the context of "healthy living" and the effect their course had on personal body image. Results show key influences included instructors, other girls on course, and the natural environment. All participants perceived their program as positively influencing their body image during and directly following their course, and most (n = 9) perceived their program as still positively influencing their body image up to 3 years postcourse. Findings offer insight to GV and can provide new information for other outdoor adventure organizations to promote healthy development in adolescent girls.

Outdoor experiential education has often been critiqued for its White, male, middle/upper-class, able-bodied history, thereby causing professionals and programs to consider issues of social justice. This state of knowledge paper will review the literature on social and environmental justice, identify gaps in current social justice literature and practice, and offer recommendations for creating a new history.

India's National Green Corps (NGC) Eco-Clubs are a unique opportunity to educate youth about environmental issues. NGC objectives include: (1) educate children about their immediate environment by increasing awareness; (2) impart knowledge about eco-systems, their interdependence and need for survival, through visits and demonstrations; (3) mobilize youth by instilling a spirit of scientific inquiry into environmental problems; and (4) involve youth in active environmental preservation efforts. In 2005-2006, Eco-Clubs existed in nearly 68,000 schools across India representing 150 Eco-Clubs per district. During the 2007-2008 school year, the number of Eco-Clubs increased to approximately 97,000 in 519 districts. The purpose of the study reported here was to document and evaluate the effectiveness of Eco-Clubs and assess their organizational framework. An extensive document review of secondary data was employed and focus group interviews were conducted in two locations. Findings show that the partnership programs developed by schools with non-governmental organizations to propel the Eco-Club concept forward have contributed greatly to their ability to provide ongoing, quality programs for students. Recommendations include directing different agencies to work cohesively towards program success, clarifying the future NGC vision, and addressing existing operational shortcomings. (Contains 4 tables and 2 figures.)

Within 30 years, European American people will be the minority population in the United States. Yet, cultural incompetency is pervasive in today's society. The camping and outdoor education professions must pay as much attention to cultural concerns as to technical aspects of their work. Safe places for all can be created by being knowledgeable about cultural differences. (TD)

A total of 24 self-identified women of color took part in focus groups and interviews concerned with attitudes toward the outdoors and involvement in outdoor activities. Analysis focuses on social support for participation, family influence, peer influence, role models, perceived isolation, sociocultural influences, discomfort and fear, personal concerns, and social stigma and stereotypes. Contains 31 references. (SV)

The recruitment and retention of faculty and students of color is a long-standing challenge in academic programs focusing on leisure studies, parks, recreation, and tourism. However, when confronting the predominantly white composition of educational programs, many evade or, at most, acknowledge the situation as a "deficit." Few offer specific strategies for reversing this pattern, if that is the desired outcome. The purpose of this essay is to extend the discourse beyond traditional diversity initiatives by undertaking a field-wide initiative focused on the disparities in faculty and student representation. First, the essay examines systems that have created and supported the persistence of "white" as privileged in academia. Next, a summary and critique of institutional faculty demographic data over the 5-year period from 2006-2011 from four diverse institutions are presented. This analysis illustrates patterns that have resulted in presumably less than desirable numbers of faculty and students of color. Concrete suggestions for recruiting, retaining, and promoting people of color in academic leisure studies programs are included. Increasingly, today's students are attracted to academic programs in which they will be exposed to faculty representing the diversity they will encounter as professionals. This essay offers a call to bridge the perceived gap between practitioners and academia by recommending systemic changes informed by the lived experiences of communities of color that are effectively served by various leisure service providers.

Understanding outdoor recreation participation and national park visitation by members of ethnic minority groups has been a particular focus of outdoor recreation researchers for the past twenty years. Attracting ethnic [...]

This special issue on "outdoor adventure education" contains seven articles focused on varied topics in outdoor adventure education (OAE) from the impact of COVID-19, creating a mobile App and girls outdoors to urban programming, systems of privilege and more. Additionally, what are typical outdoor adventure education instructors' inclusive praxis and the conditions that influence their praxis on their courses and in their instructing experiences? The contributors examine how a wide range of OAE programs and services have influenced participants' worldview and enhanced their quality of life through reflection, personal growth, social and physical challenges, and beyond. [Extracted from the article]