The Trail Ahead

Latest Episodes:

Alex Piechowski-Begay: Kinship, Connectedness, and Activism May 10, 2022

Show notes

Alex is an Indigenous artist and activist who spends much of his time on the road, often moving between communities to stand in solidarity with their pressing calls to action. He is a member of the Navajo Nation, a vocal advocate in the Land Back movement, and a supporter of Indigenous-owned businesses. His jewelry and pottery convey traditional designs and stories of the Navajo people - serving as a form of resistance.
He joins the podcast for an eye-opening look into the meaning of kinship and connectedness. Alex shares stories from his childhood and how his upbringing, especially his grandparents, played a major role in shaping and influencing his life today. We also ask Alex about his practice as an artist, how his jewelry and crafts serve as a form of resistance, and why each piece he creates is filled with intention and meaning. Alex shares what Land Back is and why it’s so important, as well as our society’s need to acknowledge the inequities all around us and learn to care for one another.

Tune in to this conversation all about expression, connectedness, and how we can be better relatives to our communities.

Laura Edmondson: Rest, Our Right Relationship with Nature, and Community Care Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

Laura is a digital educator who specifically speaks on race and equity in the outdoors and the importance of rest and self care. She is multiracial and a transracial adoptee, she is climber and a core member of Brown Girls Climb and an outdoor enthusiast. She also is a DEI strategist and consultant. She is a full time van-lifer and digital nomad. She is also vegan. We met up with Laura while she was living in an artist community in New Mexico. She is also the host of a podcast "Let us Rest."

She joins the podcast today to chat all about her work as a digital educator, especially when it comes to approaching uncomfortable topics on race and holding space for different educational approaches. Laura also speaks about the way her different identities influence her work as a digital creator, acknowledging the difference between self-care and community care, and her early introduction into sustainability. Tune in to this conversation and listen to Laura’s eye-opening perspective on race, respect, and rest.

Episode Resources:

Roles Map http://deepaiyer.com/the-map-social-change-ecosystem/
The Nap Ministry https://thenapministry.com/
Let Us Rest Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/let-us-rest/id1524839134
French Law for “Right to Disconnect” https://fortune.com/2017/01/01/french-right-to-disconnect-law/
The Soulcare Fund https://soulcarecollective.org/thesoulcarefund
Tiffany Shlain - 24/6 book https://www.tiffanyshlain.com/24-6book
Podcast with Pema & Tiffany - Enmeshed with Technology https://onbeing.org/programs/living-the-questions-weve-been-enmeshed-with-our-technologies-tech-shabbat-for-everyone/

Connect with Laura:

Laura’s Instagram https://www.instagram.com/laura.edmondson/
Laura Patreon https://www.patreon.com/lauraedmondson

Noël Russell: Leading with Curiosity as the Way to Change Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of The Trail Ahead, Addie and Faith are joined by Noël Russell. Noël is a writer, van lifer, and dog-mom who works in digital marketing, and so much more. She’s someone whose words deeply resonate with Faith especially when it comes to encouragement and truth.

Today, Noël shares the story of her upbringing and how it played a formative role in her life. She also discusses how she aggregates being in this outdoor environment with both work and play, her relationship with stories and storytelling, and what contentment has to do with being outdoorsy. A huge theme for Noël is contentment as a radical state of mind, especially how it allows her to be kinder to herself.

Then, they all discuss why curiosity is key especially when it comes to championing change. From balancing the idea of discovering new places versus keeping some of them hidden and untouched, Noël’s conversation with Faith and Addie is sure to spark your curiosity.

José González: Discovering the Multitudes of You Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

Today, José joins the podcast to share his views on the power that words hold, how we can view it from a responsible and respectful lens, and how we can be more mindful when it comes to the use of language. José also discusses how his love for the sci-fi genre has inspired his work while influencing the way he approaches equity. From using memes as radical acts to understanding friendships as a supporting pillar in communities of activism, this conversation addresses the topics of culture and expression of the multitudes of being human.

Follow José on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josebilingue/
Check out José’s website: http://www.josegagonzalez.com/
The Outdoorist Oath, learn more and get involved! https://www.outdooristoath.org/
“Sierra Club Says It Must Confront the Racism of John Muir” in the New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/us/sierra-club-john-muir.html
“Reckoning with the League Founders’ Eugenics Past” from Save the Redwoods League,
https://www.savetheredwoods.org/blog/reckoning-with-the-league-founders-eugenics-past/

Faith and Addie on the Identity of Being in Between, Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable, and Not Quitting Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

After taking some time off from their first 12 episodes, Addie and Faith are back with a fun but important conversation where you get to know the hosts of The Trail Ahead a little more intimately.

In this episode, Addie and Faith interview one another and re-introduce themselves to old and new listeners alike. They discuss what playing outside means to them and dive deeper into why their work is important to them. They discuss how trail running brought both of them today, how the identity of being in-between shaped Faith’s life, and what ultimately allowed Addie to get comfortable with being uncomfortable in order to have important conversations.

Then, they talk about the process of learning (and unlearning) and why it’s so important to never quit, even if you feel shame, guilt, or embarrassment. Faith also shares how being an extrovert lends itself to her interest in having these difficult conversations. Finally, Addie and Faith ask light-hearted questions that’ll allow you to get to know your hosts on a personal level.

Ways to get involved with The Trail Ahead:

Donate to our Patreon
Follow Us on Social Media

Sergio Avila: Science Education, Reimagining Conservation and Jaguars Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Sergio Avila is a conservation scientist, educator, and wildlife researcher and tracker based in Tucson, Arizona. He is the first regional Local Outdoors Coordinator for the Sierra Club. He is dedicated to designing and implementing local strategies and projects that increase opportunities for people to connect with nature and ignite their commitment for protecting the planet and to each other. Sergio was born in Mexico City and has over 20 years working on local and regional conservation efforts along the US-Mexico borderlands. He works with species from jaguars to butterflies - in real life. He also loves trail running, gardening and spending time outside. We met up with him to run in the desert and to visit the border wall, it was powerful and transformative, we think this episode is too.

Note: This is an English summary episode of our conversation with Sergio. You can listen to the full conversation in Spanish in the previous episode in the podcast feed.

For more information about Faith, Addie and The Trail Ahead go to https://www.thislanddoc.com/thetrailahead.

Discussed in this episode:

Sierra Club

Sergio's twitter

Sergio Avila: Educación científica, reimaginación la conservación y los jaguares Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Note: This episode is in Spanish. There is a short summary episode in English available in the podcast feed.

Sergio Avila es un científico conservacionista, educador, y investigador y rastreador de vida silvestre en Tucson, Arizona. Es el primer coordinador regional de actividades al aire libre para el Sierra Club. Se dedica a diseñar e implementar estrategias y proyectos locales que aumentan las oportunidades para que las personas se conecten con la naturaleza y enciendan su compromiso de proteger el planeta y entre ellos. Sergio nació en la Ciudad de México y tiene más de 20 años trabajando en esfuerzos de conservación locales y regionales a lo largo de la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México. Trabaja con especies desde jaguares hasta mariposas, y ha tenido unos encuentros muy raros. También le encanta correr senderos, hacer jardinería y pasar tiempo al aire libre. Nos reunimos con él para correr en el desierto y visitar el muro fronterizo, fue poderoso y transformador, creemos que este episodio también lo es.

Más información sobre Faith, Addie y The Trail Ahead aqui: https://www.thislanddoc.com/thetrailahead.

Enlaces:

Sierra Club

Twitter de Sergio

Brooklyn Bell: Mountain Biking, Creating Space and Reclaiming Legacy Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

Brooklyn Bell is Patagonia Mountain Bike Ambassador and a freelance artist from Bellingham, Washington. She skis, she climbs, she rides bikes and she loves getting creative in the outdoors. We love how she clearly defines the difference between diversity and inclusion and how she has found a way to both educate others and create boundaries that help make space for herself. She talks about joy and creativity, tokenism, the role of good friends who step up and have your back, and how art has helped her become who she needed to be.

For more information about Faith, Addie and The Trail Ahead go to https://www.thislanddoc.com/thetrailahead.

Discussed in this episode:

Becoming Ruby

Brooklyn’s Art Website

Pedal Through

Brotherhood of Skiing

Clare Gallagher: Imperfect Advocacy, Climate, and the Joy of Running Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

Clare is an ultrarunner from Englewood, Colorado and studied coral ecology at Princeton University, where she ran cross country and track. She taught English in Southern Thailand, while also establishing a swim and environmental conservation program. Clare began running professionally in 2016 after winning the Leadville 100. She's since won Western States (2019), CCC 101k (2017, UTMB series) and has the Fastest Known Times on the Zion Traverse and Joshua Tree Traverse. She's proud to be sponsored by Patagonia, Petzl, La Sportiva, and Honey Stinger. She is a fierce advocate for the environment who focuses on imperfect advocacy and local civic engagement. She’s devoted to advocating for the protection of public lands and climate change policy.

Links:

Clare’s Website

Protect Our Winters

Hilariously Funny Video “Lunch with Clare Gallagher” on Outside TV

Embrace the Night, Race Recap of the CCC with Petzl

Changing Course, a 2017 REI Film about Clare Gallagher

Monica Medellin: Surfing, Storytelling and Women Behind the Lens Jul 20, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we talk about surfing, defying expectations, creating the work you need to see in the world and your life literally being the story. Our guest is Monica Medellin, a director and producer born and based in Los Angeles, California. Monica is also the founder and CEO of The Gnar Gnar Honeys. She creates beautiful work and shares rich stories that celebrate and promote diversity and representation in front of and behind the lens.

For more information about Faith, Addie and The Trail Ahead go to https://www.thislanddoc.com/thetrailahead.

Discussed in this episode:

The Gnar Gnar Honeys

Nick Gabaldon

Textured Waves film by The Gnar Gnar Honeys

Textured Waves on Instagram

Kaikaina

Monica Medellin’s Website