PORTLAND, Ore. — In this week's "Let's Get Out There," we head to Smith and Bybee Wetlands in North Portland to catch up with Pam Slaughter, leader of the nonprofit group People of Color Outdoors.
Before some of us even consider enjoying the outdoors, we first need a safe space. On a cloudless day at Smith and Bybee Wetlands, a group meets to provide just that.
The outdoors are for everyone, but it doesn’t mean we all feel comfortable. Enter Pam Slaughter: She founded People of Color Outdoors (POCO) several years ago after she and her family had several distressing encounters while getting out. POCO gives people of color a sense of community and a starting point if they’re new to outdoor activities.
Slaughter was born and raised in Portland. She loves its beauty and knows its history.
“Today, we're going to talk about Black history, just what this area means to BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of color) in the past, and then what it is now. (And) we're going to talk about the wildlife that live here,” she said.
Winding through the wetlands, she tells the group about the impact of the deadly 1948 Vanport flood and how Japanese people were interred at what is now the Portland Expo Center not far from the wetlands.
“Vanport was built specifically to house people, including people of color,” she said.
Today, POCO is an all-volunteer nonprofit with over 5,800 members, hosting over 60 outings a year.
“We provide a way for people to be together; people have similar experiences to be together in a community because the second part of our group is to provide community,” Slaughter said.
Kristan Lee and her husband are from Mississippi. This was their first POCO outing.
“This is the first time I've experienced anything like this, where I've been to an organized event where there were a group of people of color outside,” Lee said.
Pam’s daughter, Ashley Slaughter, basically grew up outside. She’s helped her mom run the group since 2017.
“I'm very proud that people are receptive to what she's doing and want to be involved,” Ashley said. “I think it's huge for the community. And I think that it's a wonderful opportunity to not only get to know nature but get to know yourself.”
Since its inception, POCO has launched a nature education program for kids. They learn how to be guardians of the environment. Last year, they received a nine-month mentorship from the Adidas Community Lab. Thanks to the program, POCO could have its own facility in just a few years.
Pam’s goal is always education but watching the community bond form is what’s most rewarding.
“It's not just to hoard people together, but it's to help people to reconnect and have that natural bond and have a deeper bond and then find a way to help make things better for the environment and the larger community,” she said.
“I hope that they feel a sense of community. I hope they feel a sense of peace,” added Ashley. “I hope that they feel inclusion, and I hope that they learned something that they didn't know before.”
Let's Get Out there airs once a week on KGW's 4 p.m. newscast and The Good Stuff, which airs Monday-Thursday at 7 p.m. We're including viewer photos for this series. You can text your photos to 503-226-5088 or post them on the KGW Facebook page.