A San Francisco program called WALC (Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative) combines ethnic studies with outdoor field studies to help students of color feel a stronger connection to nature and themselves. - Students visit parks and learn about environmental science and history, often discovering that people of color are underrepresented in outdoor spaces.
- The program was co-founded by teachers Catherine Salvin and Conrad Benedicto in 2000 to counter feelings of exclusion and build agency. - Students like Alex Lopez and Nicko Gonzalez have gone on to pursue environmental justice work, showing the program's lasting impact.
The program aims to give students a greater sense of place, self, and empowerment, regardless of their future paths.