Archives: Press Releases

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Brown Folks Fishing (BFF), an organization committed to building community and expanding access among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in fishing and its industry, has launched the Angling for All Pledge. The pledge seeks to dismantle systemic barriers to entry and participation at all levels of the fishing industry. Joining the effort as the inaugural pledgee is The Orvis Company.

“Fishing has deep roots in the BIPOC community, yet our voices are vastly underrepresented,” says Tracy Nguyen-Chung, executive director of BFF. “We are proud to launch the Angling for All Pledge which establishes a commitment to equity and inclusion in the angling community. It is an opportunity for those within the fishing industry to cultivate the knowledge and understanding necessary to eliminate barriers and commit to radical and lasting change.” 

The Pledge has been in development since late 2018 and is inspired by the work of Teresa Baker and the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge. It establishes a commitment to addressing racism and inequality throughout a pledgee’s internal culture, consumer-facing behaviors, and broader community. At its core is a curriculum developed by Brown Folks Fishing in partnership with Erica Nelson and Sydney Clark of REAL Consulting, an organization that works with clients to develop strategies for anti-racist organizational culture. The curriculum provides education and resources for brands and organizations to enhance equity and diversity across staff, executive teams, athletes, ambassadors, guides, and throughout the organization’s media and marketing.

“As Indigenous and Black women, our work at REAL builds upon our own experiences and perspectives, as well as those of other marginalized people,” says Erica Nelson of REAL Consulting. “The goal of the Angling for All curriculum is to identify issues of access and participation in the outdoors and provide the tools and resources necessary to move forward in solving these issues. Not all individuals or organizations are the same. We will work with businesses and professionals on an individual basis to establish a custom set of programming and initiatives that set participants on their own unique paths to eliminating barriers and creating change in the industry. Our workshops invite everyone, regardless of their background, to add to the narrative and ensure that it is continuously evolving and culturally relevant.”  

As the inaugural pledgee, Orvis will work with REAL Consulting and Brown Folks Fishing to move through the pledge curriculum and create a plan of action upon completion.  

“We are honored and grateful to have such a strong partnership with Tracy and the team at Brown Folks Fishing,” says Simon Perkins, Orvis president. “Their mission to build capacity, access, resources, visibility, and a solid community for anglers of color makes the sport stronger, and we are excited to sign the pledge as an acknowledgment of our commitment to this critical work. This is an opportunity for us to explore our own blind spots and unconscious biases and an important step forward in Orvis’s history of passion and commitment to access, inclusion, and stewardship in fly fishing.”

Those who successfully complete the Pledge will have the opportunity to be included in the BFF Directory, which features Brown Folks Fishing’s recommendations for guides, instructors, experiences, shops, brands, and organizations from across the industry committed to equity and inclusion. The Directory will be available publicly as an information resource to anglers.

Guides, instructors, outfitters, media platforms, organizations, brands, companies, and other professionals across the fishing industry are encouraged to apply. For more information and to apply to the Pledge, please visit: www.brownfolksfishing.com/pledge

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ABOUT BROWN FOLKS FISHING

Brown Folks Fishing is a community-based organization founded in 2018 by and for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) anglers. We cultivate community for BIPOC in fishing and its industry. BFF is a space to build together and a movement to expand access. We do our work through storytelling, grassroots organizing, events, and community-building.

Our work is as much about stoke as it is about our survival. We seek to reimagine fishing as a gateway to conservation. We reimagine because the framework of conservation as it exists is deeply rooted in white supremacy, erasure, and colonialism. We reclaim and lift up the narratives that Black and Brown people have with deep roots in fishing, and connection to land, water, and community. By reclaiming these roots, we can shift the narrative around who is, can, and should be on the water; whose full selves can be brought to the water.

www.brownfolksfishing.com

ABOUT REAL CONSULTING

REAL (Reconcile, Evolve, Advance, Lead) Consulting believes that anti-racist education involves a life-long commitment to the practice of seeking to understand ourselves, people, and our shared environment. REAL strives to build a customized durable foundation for clients at all points in their journey toward an anti-racist organizational culture. We reach this together by emphasizing personal reflection, interdisciplinary historical analysis, and compassion for people. Founded in 2018, Sydney Clark and Erica Nelson saw the need to weave our personal stories into our curriculum led with storytelling combined with executive leadership development, as this builds authenticity and trust toward a more equitable outdoor community.

https://www.consultreal.org/

ABOUT ORVIS COMPANY

Founded in 1856, we believe the most meaningful experiences are created by sharing the love of nature and being inspired by its endless possibilities. Orvis pioneered the mail order industry in the United States, operates more than 80 retail stores in the U.S and the U.K., and maintains a network of over 400 dealers worldwide as a trusted source of discovery and adventure in the natural world. We promise to open the door to extraordinary outdoor experiences, and to protect nature by committing 5% of our pretax profits each year to conservation efforts worldwide. www.orvis.com

Albuquerque, NM — Rerouted is proudly announcing their first institutional investments from SCAPE Investment Fund 6 & GOS Capital, followed by a number of local angel investors. Rerouted is working to revolutionize the Outdoor Resale Industry by making it easier than ever for people and businesses to buy, sell and donate used outdoor gear online. Rerouted’s technology makes it as easy to choose used gear as it is to consume new products. Rerouted’s mission is to facilitate access, education and sustainability to inspire the next generation of wilderness advocates.

Rerouted is excited to announce the SCAPE Investment Fund 6 as our lead investor. They were joined by fellow VC, Scott Goodman of GOSCapital. Additionally, this round included 5 angel investors – including: John Wolgamott, RJ & Hannah Jenkins, Rick Shor and David & Lodie Grubb. The team would like to thank all their investors for their continued confidence and belief in Rerouted. 

Below are some quotes from Rerouted’s Seed Investors –

“SCAPE Investment Fund 6 is excited to partner with Rerouted as they address the timely issue of buying and selling used outdoor gear.  They have a strong team that is poised to take their success to the next level.” – Elizabeth Marsh, Executive Director, SCAPE Investment Fund 6

“Rerouted is the tip of the spear in the outdoor gear industry’s transition to the circular economy. While it’s great that the big players like Patagonia and Timberland are offering platforms for resale of their used gear, Rerouted is curating a community and marketplace to make choosing used outdoor gear easier for everyone.” – Hannah Jenkins, Rerouted Angel Investor

Rerouted is excited to announce SCAPE’s board representative, Cole Sandau. His passion for wilderness and experience as a successful tech entrepreneur will be an invaluable asset to the team moving forward. This funding will allow them to streamline their user experience, automate more processes and increase brand awareness. 

Rerouted is continuing to raise funding to accelerate the growth of their platform solution. Feel free to contact their CEO, Chap Grubb, with any questions at chap@rerouted.co.

About Rerouted

Rerouted is an online platform solution that helps people & businesses buy, sell or donate their used gear online. They are utilizing modern technology to streamline the process from start to finish. They are developing tools & software that will empower people & local gear stores to get their gear back out to the next generation of wilderness advocates.

Learn more online at rerouted.co

Testing March 29

NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia – September 25, 2023 – Globally-renowned Canadian high-performance mountain gear and apparel brand, Arc’teryx, re-opened its Boston retail store in the popular Newbury Street shopping district. Featuring running, climbing, hiking, snow sports and lifestyle wear, along with footwear and accessories, the 3,021-square-foot retail store is designed to inspire, connect and instill passion for the outdoors in guests that enter its doors. The refreshed space also showcases a unique art installation, telling the story of how Arc’teryx’s innovative products are created from concept to development and then tested in the harshest environments.

Boston Store Details
● 3,021 square feet
● Address: 352 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02115
● Grand opening date: September 23, 2023

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About Arc’teryx
Arc’teryx is a Canadian company based in the Coast Mountains. Our design process is connected to the real world, focused on delivering unrivaled durability and performance in extreme conditions. Our products are distributed through more than 2,400 retail locations worldwide. We are problem solvers, always evolving and searching for a better way to deliver resolved, minimalist designs. Good design that matters makes lives better.