Each July, it’s important to recognize Disability Pride Month, which originated in 1990 to mark the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. Now a month-long celebration, it’s a time to honor the Disabled community’s long-standing history and achievements.
Syren Nagakyrie, the founder and director of Disabled Hikers, is a social activist working to improve access and inclusion in the outdoor world. Also an author, Nagakyrie published the groundbreaking guidebook The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Western Washington and Oregon in 2022, which included a rating system and detailed trail information designed to open up the outdoors to the Disabled community.
In an interview with Chloé Hummel of FalconGuides, Nagakyrie reflects on their favorite ways to spend time outdoors, important considerations for writing an accessible guidebook, and the necessity of community when working towards cultural change.
CH: What are some of your earliest memories with the outdoors? Has the outdoor world always played an important role in your life?
NAGAKYRIE: I grew up in a rural part of the Tampa Bay area in Florida. Many of my earliest memories with the outdoors are of sitting in my yard watching the birds, and the bird-sized insects, and examining the small “weeds” and wildflowers in the grass. My family didn’t have much money and many of us had a disability or chronic illness, so we didn’t take big summer trips or even go hiking or “do” outdoor recreation. But we did day trip to the Gulf Coast beaches a couple of times during the summer, and I was always fascinated by the seemingly endless stretch of water, the mangroves, and the marine life. I was well into adulthood before I really appreciated the unique beauty of that landscape, but the outdoors played a formative role in my life and continues to. For me, the natural world has given me a sense of connection and belonging that I didn’t have otherwise as a neurodivergent disabled kid.
CH: What are some of your favorite ways to spend time outside with nature?
NAGAKYRIE: I always seek awe and wonder, but that doesn’t mean climbing a mountain or anything like that. I love finding a spot to sit in a camp chair and just watch what happens around me. I love hiking, obviously, but my favorite hikes are slow and gentle and allow me time to really appreciate and be respectful of the land. I’m actually a big plant nerd—I completed a two-year herbalism and plant identification program—I love to go on walks to notice how plants and animals interact in the landscape. I also love going for scenic drives, especially when I don’t have the energy to hike.
CH: We’re so excited for the release of The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California on September 3, 2024. Can you share any fun or unexpected experiences that informed the writing process?
NAGAKYRIE: I’m really excited too! Writing these guides always involves lots of unexpected experiences. Most often, it is a situation in which I did hours of research to verify the accessibility of a trail before I hiked it, only to arrive and find out there were lots of inaccessible features or obstacles. That is always frustrating, but its why resources like this are so important! There are always fun surprises too. I wasn’t sure if I was going to include any trails in giant sequoia country, but ended up being near enough to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park when the parks were safely open and visited several trails. I was surprised by the accessibility of many of them, especially Big Trees Trail, which is one of my favorites in the book.
CH: When working on a guidebook, what kinds of information are important when considering a trail? How can readers use the Spoon Trail Rating System to help make safe decisions?
NAGAKYRIE: I consider so many factors when checking out a trail for a guidebook. I assess surface, grade, cross slope, width, obstacles, and many other trail elements. I look for available amenities like benches, restrooms, water fountains, nearby visitor centers, and cell reception. I also consider how difficult the drive may be, how suitable the road is for a wheelchair accessible van, and the parking situation. With our increasingly hot summers, I also look for how shaded the trail may be. I try to balance all of that to give a variety of options for folks. Not all Disabled people are the same, and accessibility means different things to different people.
The Spoon Rating System breaks down some of the primary factors that determine the accessibility of a trail, including length, grade, obstacles, navigation, and total elevation change. I wanted to create a rating system that was more specific and objective than the typical “easy-moderate-difficult.” Readers can use the Spoon Rating System to easily identify trails that may work for them and then read the full description for more details.
CH: In addition to being an author, you are also the founder of Disabled Hikers. What are some of the goals of the organization? How important is community in achieving these goals?
NAGAKYRIE: Disabled Hikers mission is to build disability community and justice in the outdoors, towards a vision of an outdoors culture transformed by access, representation, and justice for Disabled and all other marginalized people. We do this through a variety of ways, including creating trail guides and resources, hosting events, and working with parks, organizations, and others in the outdoor industry to increase access and inclusion. We are an entirely Disabled-led organization, and are very much rooted in community. We really do want cultural change—I always say this is not “build it and they will come,” we could build all of the accessible trails we need, but we also have to address the underlying ableism and bias against disabled people. This process has to involve the disability community.
CH: How can people become involved with the Disabled Hikers community?
NAGAKYRIE: We welcome everyone to follow us on social media @disabledhikers on Instagram and Facebook. We also have a Facebook group. If you are disabled, chronically ill, neurodivergent¸ or otherwise have lived experience of disability, join us at an event! We are also developing the Disabled Hikers Network, which will provide opportunities for networking, peer mentorship, and leadership development training for Disabled folks who are interested in this work. We are also open to discussing potential partnerships and projects. And of course, as a small nonprofit organization, we always need financial support. People can learn more about all of this and the rest of our work at www.disabledhikers.com
CH: Along your journey as an activist both in the outdoor world and beyond, how do you stay positive when facing any roadblocks?
NAGAKYRIE: To be honest, I still struggle with this. But it is okay to be angry, sad, frustrated, and other “negative” emotions. Sometimes, I need a little spite to get through the day! But that’s also why I am so committed to activism work; it helps to know that I am making a difference, even in a small way.
CH: What steps can people take to help spread awareness of exclusion in the outdoor world? What steps can people take towards creating positive, lasting change?
NAGAKYRIE: First, listen to marginalized people and communities. It can be easy to brush off things that you don’t personally experience, and it takes practice to listen with an open mind, but it is so important to understand other people’s experiences in the world. Uplift people who are doing the work to create change, and support them in whatever ways that you can and they ask for. Point out things that people do or say that contributes to a culture of exclusion in the outdoors, and advocate for more equitable approaches.
CH: Finally, moving forward, what are some of your goals for the future? What does true outdoor accessibility look like for you?
NAGAKYRIE: There is still so much work to be done, and it can feel overwhelming sometimes, but we have big dreams for the future that includes expanding our capacity and scaling up our unique approach. We want to continue building a disability movement in the outdoors. I believe that true outdoor accessibility looks like justice. Its uprooting ableist, colonialist, and racist ideals in the outdoors and replacing them with an intersectional, community-centered approach that includes humans, animals, ecosystems—the entire earth community. Its recognizing the value and wisdom that is held in that disability and other marginalized communities, and supporting them in taking leadership in the outdoors. And of course, having a lot more accessible trails, inexpensive adaptive equipment, and accessible transportation, too.
Syren Nagakyrie’s upcoming guidebook, The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California, will be released September 3, 2024. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
