Leaders from throughout the RV and camping industries will gather in San Francisco on Thursday, Sept. 5, for a summit focused on diversity and inclusion in the outdoors.
The summit is intended to promote discussion and raise awareness about the demographics among those who camp, RV, and recreate outdoors, and how to improve the level of diversity among both customers and those employed in outdoors-related industries.
The meeting is being held at the Presidio in San Francisco, and is being organized and hosted by Kampgrounds of America in partnership with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC).
The summit will be facilitated by advocates Teresa Baker, founder of the African American National Park Event Network; Jose Gonzalez, founder and executive director of Latino Outdoors; and Amanda Machado, a writer and facilitator who focuses on the intersections between race, gender, travel, and the outdoors.
“The goal of this summit is to transition from marketing and PR centered on diversity to a genuine dialogue about the barriers and issues regarding inclusion in the outdoors,” said KOA President and CEO Toby O’Rourke. “We hope to form specific ideas and actions for our individual companies, as well as for our industry as a whole.”
