On the serene, undisturbed waters of Marquette Lagoon, nearly 20 people geared up for the annual Canoemobile Voyage. Four canoes filled with kids and adults pushed off from the shore. Participants quickly settled into a rhythm: left, splash; right, splash. Over and over, they traversed the transparent lagoon, framed by tall grasses, shimmering waters, and lily pads the size of a child’s hand.
This year’s event was supported by Brown Faces Green Spaces, founded by Gary native and environmental advocate Kimmie Gordon. The organization aims to increase outdoor access and representation for Black communities and communities of color, who do not traditionally have access to these kinds of activities. Black communities had the lowest overall participation rate in outdoor recreation compared to white, Asian, and Latino people, according to a 2022 report by the Outdoor Foundation, because of historic discrimination and lack of access to green spaces.
“More than half of that group was doing something for the first time on that water,” Gordon said. “The minute that they get out onto that lagoon, all those fears just dissipate. The joy that that brings to my spirit is insurmountable. And to see so many diverse groups of different people come together to feel safe in the outdoors, that’s exactly what Brown Faces Green Spaces is all about.”
The event was held in partnership with Wilderness Inquiry, which has been bringing its hands-on environmental education to Gary with Brown Faces Green Spaces for over five years. Still, the Canoemobile was a first-time experience for many participants — not only in a canoe, but also in discovering the hidden beauty of Gary’s natural landscapes.
One of those first-timers was Venus Hodge, who joined the voyage with her nephew. Hodge, a mail carrier and outdoor enthusiast, was initially hesitant about Gary, but said embracing the city’s green spaces helped her embrace Gary itself. “I tell people, there’s beauty everywhere,” she said. “It’s a gold mine.”
“Most people don’t see what’s here because they don’t look,” Hodge said. “When I first moved here, all I saw was bad houses and garbage. But then I came to the beach… to the Dunes… and I thought, this doesn’t even feel like Gary. I felt like I was in the Caribbean.”
Gordon paused mid-paddle to invite participants to join her in a moment of silence to reflect on nature’s quieter gifts. After the reflective moment, she kicked off the rest of the voyage with a positive call to action: “This is nature, y’all, get into it!”
For about an hour, the canoes became 24-foot “floating classrooms” on the water, teaching youth and families about the local geography, ecology, and cultural history of the Calumet River and Gary’s waterways as they rowed under the archways of the lagoon’s bridge.
The day ended with a splash, with four canoes racing to shore in a playful competition. One group of enthusiastic kids from the first canoe claimed victory in a last-minute clinch, bringing cheers from spectators on the shoreline and the other participants on the water.
After the fun and games, participants reflected on the power of inclusion into these spaces that have too often felt out of touch with the Black community.
“I love the representation,” said Hodge. “A lot of us want to do something like this, but we’re not used to it being available, or for us. It was great to see a lot of ‘us’ in the space I found myself in.”
“I love being in nature, especially as an Indigenous person and a person of African American descent,” said participant Shania McDonald. “I think it’s really important to get out in natural spaces when we were often sequestered away from [them]. It was a very positive experience.”
