Meet Raei Bridges

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Raei Bridges a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Raei, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

In Dagara cosmology every person’s purpose is determined in the ancestral realm before we come to this Earth. It is a discussion among our ancestors and spirit guardians based on what gifts are needed within our communities during the time of our lives.

For me,

being in close relationship with nature has helped me understand my purpose in life. the land has always provided me with answers to my questions and clarity on what feels most aligned with my body and energy. leaning into a practice of deep trust in every unfolding of my life is the real key to finding purpose. the earth makes no mistakes, so why would my life be any different? listening to the pathways I’ve been called to and unapologetically exploring what they mean for me has led me to the most beautiful blessings in my life.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Black&Wild connects Black, Indigenous, & People of Color to nature through 4-day wilderness trips and ancestral skills workshops.

Our mission is grounded in empowering people of color by providing them with essential knowledge, gear, and unwavering support, fostering a sense of confidence in the wild and unlocking newfound ways to experience belonging.
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Central to our approach is the integration of mindfulness and intentional practices within our programs. We aspire to go beyond the mere survival skills in nature—our ultimate goal is to see people of color not just surviving in nature, but thriving.

Registrations for next year’s programs are open! Join us for a day in the woods learning how to track wildlife, weave baskets, make herbal medicines and birth fires, or join us for a 4-day backpacking trip during our Forest Bathing Immersion.

These transformative 4-day backpacking trips in the Green Mountains of VT are open to beginners, advanced backpackers, and everyone in between, intended for ages 18 and above. The program covers essential backpacking and camping skills—packing a bag, setting up tents, basic navigation, starting fires, knots, and more. There’s also dedicated time for crafting, including carving spoons and cordage.

These trips address the significant issue of nature deprivation, which disproportionately affects Black people and people of color living in nature-deprived areas. Symptoms include attention deficits, mood imbalances, poor cardiovascular health, poor emotional regulation, and a compromised immune system. Yet, the healing power of trees and plants can significantly support human health.

The practice of forest bathing, a mindfulness practice that slows down the nervous system, is integrated into the trips. This drop in nervous system activity enhances receptivity to compounds in forest air, such as phytoncide, emitted by trees and plants. These compounds have proven benefits on immune function, natural anti-cancer cell production, cardiovascular health, cognitive skills, stress responses, emotional regulation, and mental health. Studies from the Department of Hygiene and Public Health at Nippon Medical School in Japan revealed that after a 3-day/2-night forest bathing trip, natural killer cell production and immune function increased for up to 30 days.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

trust your intuition and do what you need to do to maintain a regulated nervous system

the land will always be your teacher. bring it to the land and ask for guidance. learn to listen and trust.

be in right relationship wit others. take radical accountability for the mess that is being a human. accept others in their wholeness.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

We are always looking to collaborate with anyone interested in supporting Black and brown folks getting outside!

We are currently seeking some folks to help with admin tasks like social media, program planning, bookkeeping, and other administrative tasks.

We are also always taking applications for guest facilitators! if you have a skills you want to share with others and need a supporting platform we can support with outreach and offer a place for those local to Berkshire county and upstate NY a place to host programs.

you can find all of these application an inquiry forms using the link below

https://www.blackandwild.org/general-6

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackandwild.org
• Instagram: @blackandwildllc

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