This article is part of a series created in collaboration with UPLIFT North Carolina, a program that supports rural tourism throughout the state. Since July 2023, our partnership has provided participatory workshops and mentorship, working with partners to support and develop festivals and cultural heritage tourism experiences that benefit both visitors and communities.
On a blue-sky morning in March 2021, I started an adventure at Grogan Creek, North Carolina, for one of the first outdoor experiences with Culture Queens—a group of a community of women (“Queens”) who support each other through life’s trying times. The hike would consist of only a small group, just me and another companion, but I was nervous. As the organizer, I felt responsible for the day’s events.
The trails greeted us with signs boasting an easy hike. The early sun kissed our skin as we hopped over rocks and climbed toward waterfalls. The cool spray invigorated us, grounding us in the present moment and reminding us of our own strength. We were practically flying with anticipation.
Rule number one on the trail is to always practice safety. Rule number two: go back the way you came or stick to the plan. We did neither—and it created an unimaginable but necessary lesson to learn. We got lost. An experience that should have lasted less than a half hour became a full-day challenge with a race against time.
As the founder and leader of Culture Queens, could I trust myself again after leading my friend on a trip much harder than planned? I kept imagining the worst as we scrambled to find our way back to safety.
My Lifeline, My Culture Queens
I founded Culture Queens to inspire women of color to experience art and culture. The idea was sparked in me when I attended an opening reception at an art exhibition and saw only a handful of Black visitors. Knowing that cultural spaces were beneficial for all, I wanted to enable people of color to feel comfortable attending similar events. I believed bringing sisters together, both in our homes and out in our community, would help us feel safe to be our authentic selves.
On February 13, 2019, we organized our first group experience at Mint Museum Randolph in Charlotte, North Carolina, to celebrate Galentine’s Day. I invited a variety of women, some of whom were close friends and others who had connected with me only through social media. A group of women from diverse backgrounds—fashion designers, models, clients, visual and performing artists, and entrepreneurs—joined me.
That first gathering became the standard for each that followed. For a year, we met monthly in museums, restaurants, cafes, and our homes—anywhere we could be together and develop our community of care. More than a time to chat, our events were opportunities to fully be there for each other.
Like so many other women, the Queens of Culture Queens managed multiple roles—mothers, caregivers, professionals—and we needed a space to breathe, to connect, to be seen. As we gathered, we encouraged each other, showed up when our sister was hurt, and celebrated when she won. We created opportunities for each member to share her talents and stories. We encouraged women of color to find strength in community while embracing the beauty that surrounds us.
But when COVID-19 hit in March 2020, we had to pivot. Instead of meeting for art tours and wine tastings, we wondered if we would ever safely see each other again.
Nature Is Necessary
Before Culture Queens, hiking had been my escape. It gave me cherished moments to leave behind the noise of daily life. For years, I would hike alone, away from the chaos and life’s challenges. There is something so liberating about walking miles to enjoy a view from a summit or to dip my hands in a majestic waterfall. Being in nature grounded me, and the feeling of success after completing a long or difficult hike empowered me to face challenges off the trail.
I remember, at the end of my third hike in one week, a friend telling me, “You can’t hike every day.” He was right. I couldn’t hike every day, but I would hike every chance I had.
When parks reopened after shutting down during the pandemic, I started accumulating miles on trails throughout North Carolina. But I missed my Culture Queens. So, I took a chance and asked the Queens to join me on the trails.
Reclaiming Nature for Black Women
For me, it was important to invite the Queens to an outdoor space that was both safe and welcoming. To my surprise, the same women who put on their finest threads for our cultural outings were just as interested in throwing on hiking shoes. In October 2020, Culture Queens completed our first group hike at Linville Falls and Gorge—six women, most meeting for the first time, starting what is now a monthly meetup.
“Being in nature gives me an opportunity to forget about being an adult, focus on myself, and realize everything will work out,” said Breanna, one of the Queens.
This feeling of comfort and safety in nature was not always the case. For many Black people, the outdoors did not feel welcoming. Society has long perpetuated the idea that nature is not for us. One example close to home is William B. Umstead State Park. While we now frequent the park, it has a difficult history. Umstead was once two segregated parks—Crabtree Creek State Park and Reedy Creek State Park—which in 1966 were united and desegregated.
Today, places like Umstead shine as an example of what inclusive outdoors can look like. In 2021, as part of a Juneteenth celebration, the North Carolina State Parks organized an event at Umstead to celebrate its Black employees. Culture Queens was invited to attend and learn about the park’s history, including its unification and desegregation and its first Black superintendent, James Johnson. Through this experience, we had our first look into an outdoor world where Black people were included because of their skills, talents, and love for the outdoors.
From our first group hike, Culture Queens changed course and became a community of Black women reclaiming nature. We are now reconnecting what never should have been disconnected in the first place and creating welcoming and safe opportunities for Black women and their loved ones to learn about, experience, and appreciate the healing properties of the outdoors.
We are also bringing this experience to the next generation. Young hikers like Kiyah, who is just thirteen years old, are learning about this history and how nature can help us to cope with life’s challenges.
“I love being in nature,” she shared. “The trees, the sun, the leaves—they all bring me such relief. It’s like my body finally gets to breathe. I feel free when I can put my hands and feet in the water. I feel like a new person. Everything is better.”
We Belong
When I think back to that March 2021 hike, my new friend and I had not planned for such an arduous journey. A simple wrong turn led to hours of doubt coupled with fleeting moments of accomplishment. While the path was rugged and demanding, our journey was profound. As we finally returned to our car, the sunset was glorious, and we enjoyed that feeling of freedom that hiking brings.
Each moment delivered a lesson on perseverance and perspective. My feet and back were hurting—as was my pride—but I was enjoying the moment. I was both worried and confident.
Culture Queens experiences remind me of the resilience of the human spirit, the healing power of community and nature, and the importance of reclaiming our rightful place in the world. We are defying stereotypes, showing the world that we belong in the beauty of the mountains, the forests, and the trails.
Jennifer Everett is the founder of Culture Queens and a partner of UPLIFT North Carolina, a team that supports tourism through community-driven efforts in rural North Carolina. She and the Culture Queen were featured in PBS’s Emmy Award-winning series Ten to Try: Trails in 2023.
