Indigenous Athletes to Follow on Instagram
Paha Sapa or Black Hills, sacred Lakota land image: colin, Adobe Stock
What do Indigenous athletes have to do with sustainability? Everything.
Built into the fabric of their world view, Indigenous people from all industries are respectful advocates for the environment. In fact, Indigenous peoples protect 80 percent of Earth’s biodiversity, according to statistics presented by the World Wildlife Fund. It is no surprise that the Indigenous athletes making waves on social media are also dedicated to environmental stewardship.
Here are eight Indigenous athletes and organizations who raise awareness for Indigenous people and the environment through their Instagram feeds:
NativesOutdoors was started by @lennecefer (Diné) to “highlight the stories and photos of Native people in outdoor recreation to address the lack of representation of Indigenous people in the outdoor industry.” Today the organization also offer advisory and consulting services and work on increasing access to the outdoors.
Connor Ryan is a Hunkpapa Lakota professional skier who is an activist for Native lands, Indigenous peoples, and connection. He was recently featured in the award-winning ski movie Spirit of the Peaks, which highlights the importance of respect for the lands on which we recreate.
Red Earth Running Company is a Native-owned organization that works to “elevate awareness of Indigenous running and runners.”
ReNew Earth Running is an organization that “was created to protect and heal the environment by restoring land to the stewardship of Tribal Nations and Indigenous leadership.” Their website beautifully elucidates their stance to fight for “land back,” a return of land rights to Indigeneous peoples whose ancestors lived on and cared for their land for centuries before colonizers arrived:
“As runners we intimately engage with the land every day, with each step. And, wherever we run, the land belonged and belongs still to Indigenous people. Our Indigenous relatives are the original stewards of the land and have the ancestral knowledge to protect and heal the land.”
Ellen Bradley is an Alaskan Native and enrolled member of the Tlingit tribe who is a biologist and environmental scientist working on Arctic carbon monitoring. According to her work bio, “Bradley believes that Indigenous peoples are the original scientists of the land and leaders in expanding our understanding of climate change.”
Lydia Jennings is a Yoeme and Wixárika tribal member with a PhD in environmental microbiology. She makes up one-third of the team @willrunforsoil, who completed a six-day, 130 mile adventure run through Colorado and Utah to raise awareness for the importance of soil. Her story is featured in the film Run to be Visible.
Native Women Ride features Native/Indigenous Femme, Trans, Women, and Non-Binary relatives who “ride with Mother Earth.”
Deenaalee Chase-Hodgdon is a creator and host of the ‘On The Land Podcast,’ which “highlights Indigenous voices and their relationships to the land.” According to her bio, Deenaalee is also a fisherwomen who “advocates the rights of the local fishing community.”
Following these Indigenous leaders on Instagram is a good place to start on a journey towards reframing the way that you think about and engage with the outdoor world around you.
