Braided Seeds

About

Braided Seeds is a Black-led non-profit that provides an on-ramp to renewed relationships with self and the outdoors for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

Categories Program Adults BIPOC Children & Youth Community & Advocacy

Program Details

Braided Seeds’ mission is to provide opportunities for rest, restoration, and repair through connection with the land. Historically, BIPOC communities have been marginalized from outdoor spaces due to systemic barriers like racism. Our work at Braided Seeds is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves rest and restoration. Because of this belief, our programs are designed to reclaim BIPOC community members’ connection to the outdoors.

Services Offered

Hiking and Backpacking: We’ve taken hundreds of youth on hikes, tent camping trips, and backpacking trips to parks across Washington state. Some of their favorites have included Dash Point State Park, Birch Bay State Park, Twin Falls Trailhead, Ozette Loop, and Deception Pass. In 2022, we spent over 250 hours on direct youth programming.
Youth Programming: We've partnered with numerous organizations to host many programs for youth of color throughout the year! Some of our favorite adventures include kayaking, mountain biking, and hiking to Cherry Creek Falls.
Sponsored Outdoor Retreats: Day and overnight retreats, away from the noise and into the woods, can be a revelation. Our sponsorship program offers funding for self-determined small-scale activities and retreats that prioritize rest and reconnection to the land. We've provided more than 30 sponsorships, removing barriers that prevent recipients from accessing cultural and environmental experiences.
Discover Pass and Gear Distribution: In 2024, we distributed 500 Discover Passes directly to folks statewide. This year, 400 more passes will be distributed. We also offer a no-cost gear library so our community can experience the outdoors with the necessary equipment.

Contact Ashleigh Shoecraft, Executive Director info@braidedseeds.org Braided Seeds

Populations Served
Black, Indigenous, People of Color, youth, families, immigrants, refugees, low-income

Staff Composition
All our staff are part of the BIPOC community. Learn more about our team here.

Cost to Participate
All our programs are affordable to our communities, meaning most of our programs are free or low-cost.

A young BIPOC boy sits in swim trunks in a stream. He smiles and has his hand in a peace sign.

4 BIPOC people, one in a rainbow shirt, cup their hands together holding chestnut seeds.

Three BIPOC boys pose together in front of a blue river surrounded by pines.

A still lake reflects the fir trees around it. The cloudy sky shows hints of orange and yellow form the obscured sun.

A group of BIPOC young adults pose for a photo with smiles, with some sitting on the ground and some standing behind them.

Three BIPOC youth wearing backpacks bend over a stream as they reach their hands in. The stream is clear and flows over rocks of various sizes. The land around them is covered in moss and ferns.

Three individuals sit on a log on the beach, looking out at the waves and clouds. Near them are lawn chairs in the sand.

Recent Case Studies

A sidewalk, path, and landscaped garden beds with flat-roofed, wood-sided buildings on either side.

Place

Power To Be Basecamp

This outdoor activity center serves as a base of operations for Power To Be, a nonprofit organization that creates access to nature for youth, families, and adults living with cognitive, physical, financial, and social barriers.

A group of youth play with a football while other children sit on the berm. Behind them, kids play on the climber dome. The school building in the background is painted with bright colors and artwork.

Place

Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy (formerly Chester Arthur Schoolyard)

Formerly an asphalt-covered space that offered little to engage youth, the renovated schoolyard at the Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy is now an inviting green space for students and community members that elevates hands-on learning, physical activity, and connection to the natural world.

Surrounded by an abundance of green, a participant reaches up to carefully inspect a particular branch of leaves during one of Tremont’s herpetology SANCP classes.

Program

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont is a nonprofit field school situated within Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It offers immersive, nature-based programs that enhance health and spark curiosity across all ages through profound engagement with the natural world.