Whenever I feel lost in the drama of life, nature has been a sanctuary helping me find home within myself.

I couldn’t tell you when this first happened. I’m sure being raised in north Alabama played a role. The political circus of this state often overshadows its richness in greenery. Our elementary and middle school field trips were always interesting. We explored the stalagmite forest and frozen waterfall at Cathedral Caverns and hiked the trails at Monte Sano Mountain. We have a waterpark in our area that sits near the Tennessee River. Canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding in our lakes and rivers have become some of my favorite activities.

So of course I carried these experiences with me while thugging through the valleys of life. After graduating from college in Oxford, Miss., I walked along the shore of Sardis Lake to release the stress of juggling work and late-night study sessions for four years. When I was going through my darkest hours in Birmingham, Ala., I sought refuge in the scenery at Red Mountain Park and cleansed my crystals and my soul at Peavine Falls at Oak Mountain State Park.

Settling into nature always fills my cup because it teaches me a lesson in the most beautiful way. The rustling of tree leaves in the breeze, the trickling of a creek and singing birds create a symphony of peace around me no matter what is going on in my life. It sends a reminder that this divine peace also exists within me – waiting to welcome me with open arms, bright blue skies and enough sunshine to make the melanin glow.

To expand on this map of nature and joy, I asked a few nature enthusiasts from our previous Black Joy stories to tell us about their favorite places to connect to the Earth:

Margey and Maverick Givings

Growing up in rural Oklahoma, Mother Earth has taught Margey Givings many lessons.

During her childhood, she and her cousins learned resourcefulness and survivalist skills while fishing and riding horses on 280-acre’s worth of family-owned land in Boley, Okla. Nature became her arena when she saddled up at multiple rodeos during her teen years. By her mid-20s, she made history at the oldest Black community-based rodeo in the nation. The vast blue skies and countryside have become the perfect backdrop for her photography business and brand Coffee Cowgirls, which celebrates all shades of women horse riders.

Now nature has become the perfect playground for her one-year-old son Maverick. Margey Givings and her partner’s 30-acre property gives Maverick plenty of space to explore their barn, garden, racing stables and all the animals who roam the area. A few of the family’s 13 horses gently greet Maverick whenever he babbles at them. He even helps out with the chores with his toy tools. Margey Givings takes pride in having a space where she and her son can create many moments of joy in their own backyard.

“We start and end our day outside – usually with our horses,” Margey said. “The peaceful sound of birds chirping and the feel of the country breeze is so calming for me and even more for my son. Now that he’s mobile, I let him run around the property exploring turning every rock he can find and it’s such a great feeling for me watching him grow and become one with nature. Our love for horses, livestock and the freedom of just being out in the quiet countryside is why and how we wake up and connect with nature.”

Black Adventure Crew

Zenovia Stephens and her husband, George, were on the verge of “losing their Black cards” after a whitewater rafting trip in Tennessee.

The statement was a joke from a friend, but it was rooted in a myth that Black people don’t enjoy the outdoors. Since 2020, Zenovia, George and their three sons – ages 11, 8 and 5 – have been busting through the diversity gap of the great outdoors as Black Adventure Crew in north Alabama. Their Instagram inspires other Black families to touch grass, waterfalls and Black-owned campgrounds. Watching their sons find Black boy joy while exploring trails and creeks will make your heart smile.

But the Stephens family is more than just posting pretty pictures. They are also improving accessibility to green spaces through their nonprofit Black Kids Adventures. About 71 families and 700 people have ventured outside thanks to the Stephens’ effort to get more Black people outdoors.

Although this family has journeyed far and wide together, Zenovia Stephens said one place steals their heart every time.

“Every moment spent together is special to me, but if we had to pick one, I think we would all agree that paddling along the Tennessee River is one of our favorite activities. It’s peaceful, fun, and as my boys grow older, I appreciate being able to sit back and relax while they paddle me around,” she laughed.

Christopher Joe

Christopher Joe is a cultivator of both community and land.

He helps manage the Joe Farm, a 200-acre property in Newbern, Ala. that’s been in his family since the early 1900s. It’s also a spot where an ecosystem of birds, flora and fauna thrive – making it the perfect space for Joe’s Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours. Hundreds of bird watchers and nature lovers have gathered on Joe’s ancestral grounds to explore the state’s biodiversity. Alabama Audubon, a nonprofit dedicated to the conservation and education of birds, hosted one of its first major tours with Joe. Christian Cooper, a bird watcher who turned a racist moment into an opportunity to share his passion for nature, visited Joe’s property during his show “Extraordinary Birder with Christian Cooper.”

Nature was a selling point when Joe bought his home in Montgomery, Ala., which is about an hour and a half away from the Joe Farm. Just like with the birding tour, Joe has created an immersive experience for himself, his wife and 4-year-old daughter.

“I made my own bird feeder station with photography in mind. As a photographer and now more of a birding photographer, I utilize natural trees and branches along the end of my property line to make prime perching spots before the birds come to the feeders,” Joe said. “I sit out and can watch for hours and not have a care in the world – just observing and taking photos as opportunities present themselves. It’s so funny because it seems the birds don’t even mind me.”

Whether it’s at a nearby forest, park, garden, stream, waterfall or even a y’all where you nurture your favorite houseplants, nature is all around us calling us home to our hearts. Email Black Joy founder Starr Dunigan at [email protected] to show and tell us where your friends and fam found Black joy in nature.