Enjoying the outdoors is a passion Ambreen Tariq is eager to share with other people- especially people of color. The former Minnesotan and now East Coast-based storyteller, author and activist led a hike produced by Minneapolis Parks Foundation at North Mississippi Regional Park on Feb. 5. While exploring the groomed trails, the hike also provided an opportunity to talk about the outdoors and the use of public land through her Brown People Camping national project.
Tariq started Brown People Camping because of her own love for the outdoors and the unique journey she experienced as an immigrant. The project encourages people to experience the outdoors through conversation and storytelling, while also talking about the barriers that prevent many from enjoying public land.
“Every culture has aspects of recreation in it whether it’s cooking outdoors, whether it’s fishing, or gardening.” said Tariq. “It’s really celebrating those who exist, talking about those who aren’t there, and encouraging others to come out.” Tariq uses hiking experiences to explore the outdoor cultural preferences of others through storytelling, social media, and through sponsored events.
Born in Hyderabad, India, Tariq’s family moved to Minnesota from India when she was in the second grade and she remembers having to acclimate to a new country and learn what she thought was “American” culture and tradition. Her family went camping in the spring and this spurred Tariq’s love for the outdoors. “That was such a crucial moment in my life,” Tariq said. “I was suffering with a lot of difficulties at school academically and wasn’t doing well socially. Just the adjustment to this new country was very difficult. We got to the campground and suddenly, my sister and I got to be children.”
Tariq encourages people to enjoy the outdoors in any way that feels comfortable- even if it’s just walking your dog around your favorite lake. She believes anyone can be considered an “outdoors” person and she wants to deconstruct the stereotypes related to the definition. ““It doesn’t have to be that white man who grew up ice fishing and scaling Mt. Everest,” said Tariq. “It can very much be me who went camping with her parents a few times and ate kabobs in the woods but now all I like to do is walk around my city park. I’m still an outdoors person. Whether it’s going in an RV, staying in a cabin, or fishing at the pier in San Francisco because that’s how you get dinner- that’s an outdoors person.”
She recently published a children’s book called Fatima’s Great Outdoors through Penguin Random House. Tariq identifies with the main character. She chose the name “Fatima” because it is her own middle name and believes many different cultures can identify. “Fatima is a name that is celebrated in so many different cultures, “said Tariq. “I wanted all kids to be able to identify with her. It is an Arab-based name, but it’s also in South Asian culture, African American culture and in Latinx communities. It’s a name that is so important in cultures across the world. It’s important for me to tap into and celebrate that and hopefully have other children see themselves in Fatima.”
Tariq hopes that the book can resonate with other immigrant children and those who may lack confidence in the outdoors. “The main character is a little girl who is struggling with her self-esteem and the anxieties of moving to a new country,” said Tariq. “She finds empowerment in the outdoors by learning skills and learning what she is capable of beyond how the world defines her.”
Inclusivity and diversity play a large role in Tariq’s platform to change the face of how we view the outdoors as well as how we view ourselves. She says although many Americans pay taxes, many have barriers that prevent access to public lands and need to overcome obstacles like public transportation and equipment cost. Brown People Camping promotes a safe space that encourages underrepresented voices to join the outdoors while also having conversations to address any preventative barriers. She hopes this can help shape how the environment looks moving forward.
“Diversity has always benefited the situation [outdoors] and it is representative of the rest of the country,” Tariq said. “By getting more people out there, we’ll be able to again grow love for the environment so there are more people fighting to preserve, protect, and maintain it for future generations.”
Before the well-attended hike at North Mississippi Regional Park on Saturday, Tariq shared some of her life experiences during a virtual event. Through storytelling, she spoke both about her life as a Muslim South-Asian immigrant woman, and her new children’s book. The virtual talk and hike were produced by the Minneapolis Parks Foundation in partnership with The Great Northern Festival as part of the Next Generation of Parks Events Series.
Learn more about Ambreen Tariq and her work to diversify the outdoors visit: https://www.brownpeoplecamping.com
Below: Hikers who joined Ambreen Tariq at North Mississippi Regional Park for a hike along the trails and to listen to her talk on Brown People Camping. (Photos provided by Minneapolis Parks Foundation)
