Judith Kasiama founded Colour the Trails in 2017 as a way to make outdoor recreation safer and more accessible for adventurers who are Black, Indigenous or people of colour (BIPOC). The then-Vancouver-based initiative has since grown to welcome chapters in Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto, hosting beginner-friendly and affordable events that range from windsurfing and mountain biking to ice-climbing, snowshoeing and skiing.

Representation My work emerged from holding brands like MEC accountable for the lack of diversity in their marketing. In 2017, there weren’t many racialized people represented in outdoor activities. When they were represented, they were often depicted as the help. For example, photos of Everest climbs feature a person of colour carrying equipment, rather than being the lead adventurer themselves. In 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement brought these concerns to the foreground and expedited our growth.........

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