Author Bio

Rue Mapp

Rue Mapp transformed her kitchen table blog into a national nature business and movement. Today, Mapp is founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro. For more than a decade, the not-for-profit organization has continued to celebrate and inspire Black connections and leadership in nature across the United States. Mapp also is an awarded and inspirational leader, speaker, public lands champion and published author. Her first national book titled Nature Swagger: Stories and Visions of Black Joy in the Outdoors releases with American publisher Chronicle Books on Nov. 1, 2022. Mapp became a National Geographic 2019 Fellow, Heinz Awards Honoree, and National Wildlife Federation Communication Award recipient as well. Her work has earned international media attention from Oprah Winfrey, The New York Times, Good Morning America, NPR, NBC’s TODAY, Forbes, and recently Netflix’s popular series MeatEater with Steven Rinella. Follow her adventures @RueMapp across social platforms.

Photo Credit: Tiffanie Page

Stories by Rue Mapp...

Nature as a Healer: Excerpt from Rue Mapp’s ‘Nature Swagger’

Rue Mapp|October 21, 2022

The first time I consciously connected with the power of the natural world I was a young child. It was a warm autumn afternoon on our Lake County, ranch at the...