Latest news with #KimmieGordon
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Brown Faces, Green Spaces: Creating safe places outdoors
Kimmie Gordon, founder of Brown Faces, Green Spaces, creates welcoming spaces in the outdoors in Gary, Indiana. Submitted By Brown Faces, Green Spaces Black Faces, Brown Spaces during a Canoemobile Voyage on the Calumet River. Submitted By Brown Faces, Green Spaces Kimmie Gordon, founder of Brown Faces, Green Spaces, creates welcoming spaces in the outdoors in Gary, Indiana. Submitted By Brown Faces, Green Spaces Kimmie Gordon, founder of Brown Spaces, Green Places, takes a group out on a fishing trip. Submitted By Brown Faces, Green Spaces Black Faces, Brown Spaces during a Canoemobile Voyage on the Calumet River. Submitted By Brown Faces, Green Spaces
Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- General
- Indianapolis Star
Kimmie Gordon makes the woods inviting for everyone
Kimmie Gordon is working to make green spaces in Indiana welcoming for everyone. Brown Faces, Green Spaces — the organization Gordon runs — promotes diversity outdoors by leading camping, birding, fishing, archery, hiking and other activities for people of color in Northwest Indiana. She has loved nature and the outdoors since she was at least 6 years old. That's when she began attending Girl Scout camp in Valparaiso with her sister. But they were the only Black girls in camp, which initially led Gordon to believe her culture doesn't love nature. Now she spends her time turning that belief upside down. Gordon wants to share her experiences in nature with others. She found herself centered and at peace when she would visit neighborhood parks as a teenager. Those feelings led her to pursue a graduate program, become involved with her community and move back to Gary where she started Brown Faces, Green Spaces. Current rhetoric around DEI initiatives across the county and in National Parks has made her future uncertain, but Gordon said she and her organization will continue doing what they've been doing year after year: catering to people and helping create experiences in safe and welcoming spaces 'for us, by us and with us.' We spoke with Gordon in August about her job and the environment. Her answers are edited for brevity and clarity. SUGGEST A SUBJECT: Know someone doing good things for Indiana's environment and want to see them featured here? Email Karl and Sophie at: and to let us know. The privilege of being able to provide our local youth and senior populations the opportunity to experience the natural world, the outdoors, something they may not otherwise have ever done or had access to. And one of my favorite parts of that is seeing people experience outdoor joy like the reaction on a child's face when they catch a fish for the very first time, or a senior participant that gets in a canoe for the first time in their life and loves it. How their faces light up with such jubilation and excitement. overcoming their personal fears related to the outdoors — then they try it, love it, and come back again and again. Those are the things that make me proud — the people. Living with environmental inequities and feeling powerless to change it has been a common source of stress for me lately. Though things are slowly pivoting back to inequitable access, I'm determined to keep working to address the systemic issues creating barriers for people of color to be able to access and enjoy nature. The rollback of DEI in our national parks and green spaces where programming such as ours is now prohibited by federal mandates. Even sadder is the accommodation that some organizations are giving the federal government to help do away with diversity in our national green spaces. They do so without any consideration of how it affects diverse audiences. The rollbacks of years of progress towards environmental justice protections that we've fought so hard to institute were gone in just a matter of weeks in 2025. The many decades that the people have fought for environmental justice and outdoor equity dissolved with just a signature. Environmental justice and racism — diversity, equity, and inclusion — none of that will ever go away, and it's more important now than ever for communities to continue to mobilize around these issues. In a society infused with digital devices and constant distractions, oftentimes people forget that stillness exists somewhere. When we put down the phones and turn off all the noise, there is nature. I mean, what would happen if there was absolutely no digital access on any device at all? We would have to depend on sustaining ourselves through nature, and it's all around us. We don't have to wear fancy outdoor gear or go out on a trail or riverbank to experience nature, even something as simple as sitting under a tree in your yard can be a respite for the mind. Finding small ways to explore nature can be just as beneficial as a walk in the Grand Canyon. And everyone should benefit from that. So, I hope to continue to lead by example in these spaces. When people see others that look like them doing things that they may have a fear of or barrier to, it can intrigue them enough to also want to try it. And that's all I want people to do, is just try an outdoor experience that they've never done before, that they may be uncomfortable to think about but worth finding out about. Because I have yet to see any of our first-time participants regret trying, in fact, most of them return time and time again having developed a genuine love for the outdoors and all that nature has to offer. I am fascinated by beavers and their ability to engineer their own ecosystems with the power of their teeth and tails. And did you know they have transparent eyelids that allow them to see clearly under water like a pair of goggles? IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Planet Palooza in Gary Blends Culture, Nature, and Environmental Justice
On the sandy shores of the Indiana National Dunes, a dozen environmental organizations gathered on Saturday to celebrate — and protect — their planet. Kimmie Gordon, founder of Brown Faces Green Spaces, an environmental equity organization, said the event started six years ago with just a few vendors and attendees. Today, Planet Palooza, as it is called, draws over 80 participants and a dozen vendors, helping to build community, raise awareness, and bring more diversity into Northwest Indiana's environmental space. Gordon said this year's theme, 'Boots on the Ground,' symbolized the need for persistent action in environmental conservation despite the federal dissolution of related issues like diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, rollbacks of environmental justice protections, layoffs of national park staff, and funding challenges caused by federal cuts, prompting a call for continued support. Gary's industrial legacy in steel production and air pollution has driven local environmental activism and conservation efforts for years, with ongoing pollutant projects in the region underlining the need for more protection of its wetlands, parks, and natural resources. As Indiana experiences rollbacks in environmental justice protections, Black cities like Gary, one of the most air-polluted cities in the country and overburdened with hazardous waste and pollutants, are particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects. But miles down the road from the steel and smoke of Gary Works, on the sunny shores of Indiana Dunes National Park, environmental events like Planet Palooza bring awareness and calls to action for more protections in Steel City. 'The boots on the ground theme is inspired by the reclamation of diversity in the environmental space,' Gordon said. 'There's no way in the world that DEI cannot exist, because it's all around us. And you can see that here,' she said, pointing to the diversity of attendees, many of whom were Black, white, or Latino. 'That's what I wanted to show, is that you can't take it away, so don't even imagine it. DEI: Don't Even Imagine — a world without it.' She said it feels good to host the event in Gary on the shores of the Indiana National Dunes, one of the gems of Northwest Indiana's environmental offerings, and Lake Michigan to see how the community comes together for a common cause. This year's vendors and tables included Save Briar East Woods from Hammond; Just Transition Northwest Indiana, based in East Chicago; and Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, alongside Northern Lake County Environmental Partnership, The Field Museum in Chicago, and Save the Dunes. East Chicago native Devon Norfleet, 23, said he attended Saturday's event out of his 'genuine love' for nature and participated in the morning's beach shore cleanup. After the group picked up about 10 pounds of trash, he said the need for more events like Planet Palooza was more apparent than ever. 'I've been to a few events here and there, but they're not as widespread as they probably should be, especially considering the pollution in our specific area,' he said, adding that operators such as East Chicago's BP oil refinery spurred his conservation efforts. 'It definitely needs to be a bigger program. But I am glad that we are having this.' Standing at a table filled of fox, coyote, and otter fur, Kip Walton, the outreach program coordinator at the Indiana Dunes National Park, said that he attended Planet Palooza as a vendor as well to help bring awareness to the richness of diversity of the region's local and national parks. After 33 years in the National Park Service, Walton, who grew up playing in the outdoors, said it's critical for people to remember to 'enjoy the diversity' of nature and their communities. 'I think that's really, really important for people to understand, especially nowadays, when they're starting to try to get rid of DEI and environmental justice. I think it's time for us to get together in outdoor spaces like this and just enjoy each other and enjoy the outdoors.' Looking out over the sun-glossed lake, dancing to the background of classic cookout tunes, Gordon said she is uncertain of what lies ahead. Federal funding for environmental projects and sustainability, already limited, continues to be slashed, she said, and the impacts of rolling back environmental protections that plague her hometown are daunting. Still, she said she is determined to stay present, mobilize her community, and forge on for a cleaner future. 'I think now more than ever in 2025, it's important that the community comes together, along with the organizations, on one accord and continues to mobilize, just as we have been doing in the past,' she said. 'Because these issues don't go away. They may no longer be acknowledged at the federal level for right now, but they will never go away. DEI will never go away. Environmental justice and environmental racism will never go away. And so that's why we're here, continuing to continue.' The post Planet Palooza in Gary Blends Culture, Nature, and Environmental Justice appeared first on Capital B Gary.
Chicago Tribune
30-03-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Community news: Compost site opens; virtual diabetes program offered; Earth Day celebration
Porter County compost sites open for the season The Recycling and Waste Reduction District of Porter County's compost sites have all reopened for the season. Both the Boone Grove site, 546 South 400 West, Valparaiso, and the Portage site, 6451 U.S. Highway 12, Portage, are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday; the Valparaiso compost site, 2150 W. Lincolnway, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information on accepted items and site-specific details, visit or contact info@ Franciscan Health offering virtual Diabetes Prevention Program Franciscan Health will be hosting a virtual Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) series starting at 5 p.m. April 8. The program follows guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that have been proven to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Groups meet weekly for a total of 16 sessions, prior to six monthly follow-up sessions with a trained lifestyle coach. Throughout the program, participants work with a certified healthy lifestyle coach who guides them in practices to lose weight, move more, reduce stress and build confidence. The program is open to participants ages 18 and older who have been diagnosed with prediabetes, not those who have previously been diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Participants must have a body mass index greater than 25. Those who had a previous diagnosis of gestational diabetes or a screening result indicating a high risk of type 2 diabetes also are eligible to participate. The year-long program costs $99 and is covered for approved Medicare beneficiaries. Registration is required and space is limited. To register, complete the DPP Qualifying Questionnaire online at Those with questions are asked to register for the Virtual Q&A Session at Planet Palooza annual Earth Day celebration Join Brown Faces Green Spaces for their Sixth Annual Earth Day Planet Palooza from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 12 at Marquette Park, 1 North Grand Blvd., Gary. This year's event, 'Boots on the Ground: A Reclamation of Earth, Health and Self,' focuses on the importance of our health and mental wellness as we care for the air, land and water around us in our everyday lives. This family-friendly, outdoor celebration features more than 20 interactive eco-education stations and is free and open to all. The day will begin with a shoreline cleanup at 10 a.m. along Marquette Beach. Sign-in begins at 9:15 a.m. at Shelter No. 2. Refreshments will be provided. Register to participate at To become a sponsor or for more information, visit or email Kimmie Gordon at brownfacesgreenspaces@ Webinar on 'Growing Vegetables in Small Places' Join the Lake County Master Gardeners as they present a free webinar at 6 p.m. April 15 on 'Growing Vegetables in Small Spaces.' Presented by author, plant enthusiast and artist, C.L. Fornari, participants will learn how to make the most of the space they have, from raised beds and Smart Pots to incorporating vegetables in existing landscapes, and which vegetables offer the longest periods of harvest. A columnist for Garden Center Magazine, Fornari also has written for Angie's List Magazine, Prime Time Magazine, Fine Gardening, Coastal Home, Country Gardens and American Nurseryman. Visit to reserve a space. Ian Munsick to headline Hometown Jams concert Hometown Jams will present country music sensation Ian Munsick May 29 at Central Park Plaza, Northwest Health Amphitheater, 68 Lafayette St., Valparaiso. Gates will open at 5 p.m. Known for his distinctive Western sound and rich storytelling, Ian Munsick has captured the hearts of country music fans nationwide. Fans looking for a premium experience can take advantage of VIP Tables, offering exclusive seating and perks. The event will include a variety of food and beverage vendors and interactive experiences. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit
