Gay in the BWCA

submitted by oconnel6@augsburg.edu

Wilderness Canoe Base & Augsburg University LGBTQIA+ Services will be partnering to offer a pilot program to 7 current LGBTQIA+ students of Augsburg University. The program is designed to provide intentional community for LGBTQIA+ students to experience nature – and specifically the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA.)

When thinking about communities and identities safe and welcome to share outdoor spaces, LGBTQIA+ communities are often not included in that equation. This pilot program is offering the opportunity for LGBTQIA+ students to experience and engage in learning that doesn’t involve a ‘classroom.’ Because queer and trans+ communities haven’t historically been welcome in outdoor spaces, to engage in learning that doesn’t uphold the lens of ‘traditional education,’ this program is offering queer ways of knowing.

Being modeled from adrienne mareen brown’s book, Emergent Strategy, this program looks to biomimicry to better understand how queer movement can model nature to find ways of cooperative and collective action – resulting in queer liberation.

This trip will be led by Director, LGBTQIA+ Services – Max Poessnecker & an LGBTQIA+ identified Wilderness Canoe Base staff member. This trip requires ZERO experience in the outdoors, canoeing, or BWCA. Part of the goals of this pilot program are to create exposure, access, and dismantle gatekeeping to outdoor spaces upheld by racism, queerphobia, and capitalism.

Interested? LGBTQIA+ Student Services will be holding two info sessions to learn more about this exciting opportunity.

Info Session 1
Fri, March 5th
12 – 1pm

Info Session 2
Tue, March 9th
5 – 6pm

Info Session Zoom Link