About the Digital Green Book Project
Words from their website:
Birdwatching. BBQ'ing in a park. Browsing a store. Eating at a restaurant. These activities can be either fun and enjoyable or dangerous and deadly, depending on the color of your skin.
In 1936, the first edition of The Negro Traveller’s Green Book was published by a Black man named Victor H. Green, in Harlem, New York. The Green Book provided a directory of Black-friendly businesses, from restaurants to gas stations, mechanics to doctors, so that Black travelers could protect themselves from discomfort and danger by planning ahead.
The original Green Book stated, "The purpose of the Green book is to give the negro traveller information that will keep him from running into difficulties, embarrassment, and to make his trip enjoyable.”
It also said, “There will be a time in the future when this guide will not have to be published.” The last print edition was published in 1966-1967, as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed racial discrimination. Unfortunately, as we know all too well, just because something is written into law doesn't necessarily mean it's no longer happening.
In 2020, two Black women plan to launch the first nation wide digital version of the Green Book, providing a crowd-sourced database of businesses, parks, restaurants, stores, and towns that Black people can feel safe traveling to and through.
It’s like Yelp, but for inclusivity.
On this website, users can submit business locations they feel safe in, as well as businesses owned/operated by people of marginalized identities. Users can rate a business on a range of things, such as courtesy of staff, ADA compliance, sense of personal safety as it relates to their identity, gender neutral bathrooms, and more.
We take it even further...
Also available on our website:
Resources to help businesses self-audit for inclusiveness
Resources to help businesses improve
Referrals to Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity trainers
It’s like if a restaurant listed on Yelp got a bad review for cooking, and then provided the restaurant with cooking classes to help them become better. There will be a range of free to paid options for these resources.
If we raise enough money, we will be able to increase the intersectionality of this database, to ensure we can provide additional resources for those from other marginalized communities, such as the LGBTQIA+ community, those who need ADA/Accessibility information, and more.
The idea-makers behind this, Crystal Egli & Parker McMullen-Bushman, have drafted a sample website and outlined everything they ever dreamed of for its features. However, they are also two women with full time jobs, kids, no web designing experience, and are board members and community organizers as well. The money raised here would go to hiring a Black web designer to help Crystal and Parker see their dream turned into reality.
To learn more about the goals of the Digital Green Book or to donate to the fundraiser, please visit the campaign’s GoFundMe page.
About the Challenge Organizer
Shalana Gray is an avid ultrarunner, outdoor enthusiast, and wildlife aficionado from Eldorado Springs, Colorado. A co-leader for the local Boulder chapter of Trail Sisters, she loves nothing more than welcoming others to public lands and everything they have to offer.
Shalana met Crystal Egli, one of the Inclusive Journeys co-founders, many years ago through a colleague and their mutual love for the outdoors. One of their first outings together was a magnificent night helping with bat research at Castlewood Canyon State Park (during which Shalana may or may not have put her waders on backwards and became the subject of a laughable photo shoot). They've stayed in touch ever since and Shalana hopes to support Crystal and Parker's work by leveraging her involvement in the running community.
Equity in the outdoors has driven Shalana's life and career path for the past five years. There is much work to be done and so much progress yet to make, but she has no plans to stop any time soon.