Alongside a stunning sunset overlooking the water of Marquette Park, Gary residents ranging from 7 to 74 years old gathered on the trail behind Marquette Pavilion.
Amid tea, snacks, and shimmering waters, curiosity and excitement surrounded the two light blue canoes tucked atop the Marquette lagoon. But these are no ordinary vessels: they’re 24-foot “Canoemobiles.”
The annual canoeing event, organized by Wilderness Inquiry in partnership with Brown Faces Green Spaces, reconnected Gary residents with their local waterways, offering a unique chance to explore nature in a city more often defined by its industrial landscape. Through “floating classrooms,” participants can learn about the science, history, and culture of the region’s waterways.
Since launching its national program in Gary in 2014, Wilderness Inquiry’s Canoemobile has brought hands-on environmental education to the region. This year’s event reflects Brown Faces Green Spaces founder Kimmie Gordon’s vision of creating outdoor opportunities for marginalized communities like hers, which have historically lacked access to such experiences.
“The people of Gary deserve to be a part of it. Marginalized communities deserve to be a part of it. And so this is why Brown Faces Green Spaces exists,” said Gordon, who founded the organization in 2017. “It creates a safe and welcoming atmosphere for those who want to be in the outdoors, and want to see people like us doing things in the outdoors, and doing things we would not otherwise have access to do.”
Once a year, students and elders are invited to join Brown Faces Green Spaces to sail the Marquette Lagoon in a 24-foot Voyageur canoe to learn about the science, history, geography, and culture of local waterways in Northwest Indiana, including Lake Michigan and the Calumet River.
Before boarding the canoes, participants were taught essential wilderness skills by Wilderness Inquiry guides, including the proper fitting of life vests, the “leave no trace” method to remove litter, and how to hold a canoe paddle.
Out on the water, the two canoes — one filled with kids, the other with adults — and their respective Wilderness Inquiry guides rode out onto the sunset. As they paddled further out on the lake, the 10-person canoes became “floating classrooms.”
For over an hour, participants paddled with Wilderness Inquiry guides, discussing the history of Marquette Park, which was formed originally as a project by U.S. Steel executives in the 1920s. Afterward, Gordon led a 60-second silent meditation to absorb nature’s beauty: a matte-black double-crested cormorant gliding over the water, lily pads floating among marsh grasses, and sunlight dancing on the smooth water beneath arched bridges.
For many, this was their first experience with canoeing and any water activities in their community. Gary natives Ambre and Micahl Cain, both former educators, brought their two daughters to the lagoon.
“I think that it is really good to expose kids as much as possible,” Micahl Cain said. “It helps out there with the soft skills, anything like this. You know, the more they get exposed, the more they know.”
Ari, one of the Cain’s daughters, said this was her first time canoeing, and although she and her sister were a little nervous, she was excited to try it — as long as she doesn’t get her hair wet.
After the experience, the family said they are excited to do more outdoor activities.
“Maybe we can go on to Lake Michigan,” said Sia, the Cain’s 7-year-old daughter.
“Or go hiking,” Ambre pitched in.
“Or a camping trip,” added 9-year-old Ari. “But just for a day, because I don’t like the creepy crawly bugs.”
Pointing to the neighboring Lake Michigan shoreline, Ambre reassured her children they would go just a short way down the road for their next waterway wonder. Echoing the statement, Berette McNaught, Wilderness Inquiry’s outdoor leader, said that excursions are one of the best ways to connect people with nature, which is found right in their backyard.
“One thing we do at the end … is we say, ‘This is your waterway.’ It’s free … to come back whenever you want, with your family, with your friends,” McNaught said.
“I think that’s what we want to tell these kids,” fellow Wilderness Inquiry outdoor leader Rachel Andersen added. “Beauty and nature’s everywhere. And you can appreciate it anywhere.”
