Spotlight: Sam & Porshea
“I want to see black people reclaiming the outdoors. I want to see queer folks living their best lives in the sun. I want to see all body shapes tackling strenuous hikes and reaching great heights. I want to see all of us, outside, connecting with nature and falling in love with it all.”
Sam & Porshea
What are your pronouns?
We both use she/her/hers
How do you identify?
Sam is a queer black woman. Porshea is black bisexual woman.
What outdoor activities are you involved in?
Sam: I enjoy most outdoor activities. Exploring beaches, hiking trails and drinking a beer on a patio also top the list.
Porshea: Mainly hiking and exploring Portland
Tell us about a favorite/memorable outdoor adventure you’ve had.
Sam: A week-long road trip from Seattle down to San Francisco with my best friend - the best part? Hiking among the Redwoods.
I'll also say, Porshea and I fell in love in the outdoors after matching on Tinder. Most of our profile pictures included outside activities and sunkissed photo opps. After matching, our first date, of course, was a hike. Since then, our most memorable dates have included nature and our favorite memories have been traveling and exploring new places together. In a short 6 months we have hiked along Lacamas Creek in Vancouver, Red Rock in Colorado, beaches off Lake Michigan and so many other local places.
Porshea: I took a solo trip to Portland, Oregon in 2020 as part of my soul searching journey. I hiked 7 miles through the woods around Mount Hood - discovered some waterfalls, creeks and a little lake. I journaled and meditated, felt at peace, connected to myself and thought so much about this new woman I was falling in love with.
In your opinion, what are the most important challenges/issues facing queer people outside?
Sam: Queer people outside experience many of the same hardships as queer people outdoors in any setting. You risk the stares when with your partner and the glares when you're alone. Porshea and I are both pretty femme so we often pass as friends - to no encouragement of our own.
More prevalent is discrimination against black people outdoors. The intersections of our race, gender, ability and sexual orientation can sometimes make getting out in nature, something that we love, an anxiety-inducing activity.
As an LGBTQIA+ person, if you could change one thing about the outdoor industry, what would it be?
Sam: I want to see black people reclaiming the outdoors. I want to see queer folks living their best lives in the sun. I want to see all body shapes tackling strenuous hikes and reaching great heights. I want to see all of us, outside, connecting with nature and falling in love with it all.
Porshea: I want to see more people, more people like us. Holding hands, looking cute and being comfortable doing it.
Do you have anything else to add?
Thankful for this platform!
Thank you Sam & Porshea for sharing your stories!