ENO News

Designed by Asheville-based artist and Outdoor Afro volunteer leader, Leandra Taylor, the Kili Mapp Kili DoubleNest Print Hammock was inspired by Outdoor Afro’s Mt. Kilimanjaro Expedition in 2018. This year marks Leandra Taylor’s fifth year as an Outdoor Afro volunteer leader. She recaps her time with the organization and the trip that inspired this hammock design. I attended my first training in 2017 and it was just one of those life-changing experiences, walking into a room of 80 people that are all passionate about the outdoors was something I’ll never forget. I knew that’s where I should be. Through joining Outdoor Afro, I have found support in both my outdoor adventures and in affirming my identity as an artist. Outdoor Afro leaders have been the biggest contributors and encouragers to my creative process. They push me to put my art out there and to share it with the world. Art has always been my creative outlet and nature has always been my favorite muse. When I was younger, I loved to draw flowers and pollinators because of their vibrant colors and patterns. While I’ve always been creative, I haven’t always identified as an “artist,” but as someone who enjoyed drawing...