In this interview series, we introduce you to the people who inspire us most: creatives, educators, activists, community leaders and the everyday super-humans who keep us on our toes. We’ll take you inside their day-to-day lives, homes and workspaces. We’ll talk motivation and inspiration and of course, all things style.
Meet our March Monthly Muse: Evelynn Escobar-Thomas, a cis Black and Indigenous second-generation Guatemalan-American outdoorist and activist with a passion for representation and bringing women of color together to reclaim their space amongst nature. Maybe you recognize Evelynn from her striking digital media presence, or know her from Hike Clerb, an intersectional women’s hiking club she founded, dedicated to making the outdoors an inclusive and accessible space for womxn and BIPOC. And if you don’t, we’re thrilled to introduce you to this super-talented, Los Angeles-based community builder—who’s always up for any adventure and does it all with a smile. Here, she discusses intersectionality, taking up space and finding joy in nature. Read on to learn more about Evelynn in her own words.
I was one of those kids who would climb trees or go out and play in the woods when they were younger, so my love for nature was always there.
LET’S START WITH YOUR BACKGROUND AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OUTDOORS.
I’m originally from Northern Virginia, but have been here in Los Angeles for six years now. Growing up, one of the things I always looked forward to was visiting my aunt in L.A. and hiking with her. I remember one of my first hikes, I was about 10 years old, we went to the Griffith observatory and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! It's still very much one of my favorite trails out in L.A., and that's when the seed was really planted. I was one of those kids who would climb trees or go out and play in the woods when they were younger, so my love for nature was always there.
TELL US ABOUT HIKE CLERB. WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START IT?
I started Hike Clerb in 2017 as a way to bring women of color together and into the great outdoors. When I was 23, I went to Zion National Park for the first time, and I guess I never really thought about it until I went out there and thought, “Wow, it’s so homogenous.” You think of these places as big tourist destinations, and you think it's going to be representative of what the country looks like—but it's not. I found myself kind of shocked by the lack of diversity, representation and participation you see out there. As a Black and brown woman, who is friends with other Black and brown women who also enjoy nature, I felt like no one has ever really made us feel safe, or that we are being represented out there. Starting Hike Clerb was a way for me to hold space for others, but also to collectively take up space and show that we also belong out here. I wanted to create a safe space where you can show up as yourself. And eventually, have that experience be your seed to your own self-exploration into nature.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR TO SEEK RECREATION, ADVENTURE AND SOLACE IN OUR WILDERNESS SPACES?
When you really look at the core of it, it's always been tainted. We all exist on stolen land. The only way we’re able to obtain or even create these outdoor parks is by pushing out the original people who inhabited these places. The outdoors are seen as this idyllic thing, but they are marred by violence, genocides and forced labor. There’s a disconnect with many different cultures seeking it as a refuge and as a place for healing and recreation because of the history of the land we live on.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOU TO TAKE UP SPACE OUTDOORS?
Taking up space means unapologetically showing up as yourself. Not feeling like you need to conform or fit, or place yourself in something that is unnatural to you to make others feel comfortable. It's about standing strong and knowing that we’re just as entitled to take up as much space as anyone else. It’s about being comfortable in exactly who you are and use that to hopefully bring others in with you, so that the more space that we take up the more we crush this notion that is fueled by white supremacy: that these things aren't for us or that we don't belong out there.
The outdoors are seen as this idyllic thing, but they are marred by violence, genocides and forced labor.
YOU HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITY BOTH ONLINE AND OFFLINE. HOW DO YOU JUGGLE ALL YOUR WORK AND STILL FIND TIME FOR YOURSELF?
Hike Clerb is a huge part of the work that I do, but we are these multifaceted beings. At the end of the day, I’m this little Virgo who’s into a bunch of things — whether it's nail art, sneakers or streetwear. Everything that pushes me to continue doing what I do is fueled by my own sense of purpose and the women who have been so instrumental in helping me stand confidently. I didn't get here alone and that’s what helps me push the needle to keep going and exploring.
WITH THE HEIGHTENED SENSE OF CAUTION TO BE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO RECONNECT WITH NATURE OR VENTURE INTO THE OUTDOOR SPACE FOR THE FIRST TIME?
It’s important to remember that at the end of the day, we are nature. We are a part of this grand ecosystem, so by default, we have an innate connection.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR EVELYNN?
I'm actually expecting my first child later this spring! Entering motherhood all while the world is turned upside down is seriously crazy—but in the best way possible. Like many of us, I went through some highs, lows and so many new realizations mid-pandemic. But I plan to continue on the foundation that I've already built for myself and with Hike Clerb. One that helps center women of color, specifically Black and Brown women, to feel seen and supported in whatever work they're doing the best way I can.
