Woo! So where should we start?
First off, we'd like to thank everyone who helped to market and nurture this program. Never in a million years, did we think we'd be able to pull this off. To say that everything fell in line, at the right time, is a complete understatement.
So let's start with the why:
Why are programs like this important?: Well, opportunity....for starters. There are so many individuals in the Chicago area who have never been to the beach, have never fished in our waters, have never even touched a kayak...so for an institution like the Shedd to dedicate resources and time to historically marginalized communities--- well, we have to say thank you and we see the effort that you are making to provide accessibility to all!
On the flip side! We still have a long way to go. CEE is open to all, right!? So we are still learning what we can do to get more people of color and under-resourced teachers (formal and informal) out to our natural areas with no cost to them! So please share your thoughts...because we are open ears!
Your biggest contribution to CEE is your ability to educate us...and to know that we will market your work! As an African American and an Asian American our perspectives our super unique, but we understand that we're still growing as women of color and people in general.
So please tell us...what you'd like to see us do! More kayak programs? more workshops from the "marginalized perspectives"...? But nonetheless, hosting this Kayak program in combination with our participants and the Shedd was a dream come true!
Ylanda Wilhite
CEE Co-Founder