Wild Diversity

By Mercy M'fon Shammah One thing that I want most for our community is to be prepared. This year we have faced massive continent fires, 10 earthquakes in Puerto Rico in a handful of days, a volcano eruption followed by ash lightning, fifteen-foot snow drifts in Newfoundland, the coronavirus outbreak, a threat of WWIII… and the decade just started. Ready for anything As BIPOC, queer, and TGNC folks, we already feel like we are in survival mode. Our personal safety and well-being — particularly for systematically targeted Black, brown, and transgender bodies — isn’t assured. Existence is resilience. Being so used to overcoming adversities, it might seem as though we're naturally equipped for any situation. It might also seem like “prepping” is just a wacky hobby for a privileged population of people with not much to prepare for in their actual day-to-day. But unexpected events happen all the time, and though we may not be able to plan for or predict them all, we ca...

By Michelle Lin I’m from the deep south where snow felt like a special treat. But after living in cities where blizzards and -40°F temps were too extreme for my liking, I escaped to the Pacific Northwest. I fell in love with summer sunsets, glorious wildflowers, and endless trails to explore. I thought I was through with the snow, but I was surprised to discover that I love hiking in the winter. Here's why! 1. Frozen waterfalls Last winter I encountered my first frozen waterfalls and I fell in love with these magical ice sculptures that only a waterfall can create. Stepping behind a waterfall surrounded by giant columns of aqua-colored ice is a wondrous experience that can only happen in the depths of winter. I’m lucky to live in an area with so many waterfalls and love seeing how they transform as the cold lingers, snow accumulates and sprays of water turn to ice. 2. Ice is magic Okay, so this is kind of like my first reason, but I wa...