Tyrhee Moore is working to diversify our world’s outdoor spaces through shared outdoor experience.
In 2005, D.C. native Tyrhee Moore traveled to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for an outdoor summer camp. “I had never seen a mountain with my own eyes until the moment I landed,” Moore said.
For several years, the 25-year-old returned to the camp and learned to rock climb, canoe, kayak, and backpack. Nestled at the foot of the Grand Tetons was the City Kids Wilderness Project, which helps D.C. youth learn, explore, and gain exposure to new life experiences.
Moore eventually went from recreating as a participant to recreating as a leader. This year, he’s combining his passions for the outdoors and his community into founding a nonprofit.
“All of my experiences and time spent outdoors have transformed into a platform that’s much larger than I could’ve imagined as a kid,” he said. “I got sick and tired of talking about diversity in the outdoors and what needed to change … I started doing.”
Bringing It Home: Tyrhee Moore and Diversity in Climbing
A new film launched this week by Merrell follows Moore’s story and his work to create welcoming spaces in nature for members of his community.
“Despite the joy that every adventure brings, I feel like I always leave a part of me behind,” Moore wrote. “The sentiment that Black and brown people deserve access to public spaces is a language that speaks to me in a deeper sense.”
Watch the full-length film below.
https://youtu.be/s6Ty6IGFFQE
Tyrhee Moore: Soul Trak
At 25, Moore has already conquered peaks like Denali, Kilimanjaro, and Aconcagua. But next on his list isn’t a single summit. It’s a long-term project: inspiring the next generation through shared outdoor experiences. Through his nonprofit, Soul Trak, Moore hopes to empower a more diverse group of outdoor leaders.
Soul Trak will help give African Americans access to similar experiences in the outdoors. “I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be a leader in a space where people of color are vastly underrepresented,” Moore said. “People need to see themselves represented in these spaces.”
Every year, our outdoor spaces get a little more heterogeneous — whether it’s more accessibility, programs for new recreators, or opportunities for people of different races to discover the outdoors. For his community in the D.C. area, Tyrhee Moore is making sure that happens.
