Origin Story
Backyard Basecamp was founded by Atiya Wells, a pediatric nurse with a passion for introducing, educating, and connecting families in Baltimore, especially families of color, to local outdoor spaces.
While learning more about our natural world, she often noticed that she could count the number of Black and Brown folks in the room on one hand.
While diving into research and history, she learned that ancestral wounding and historical trauma are key players in the lack of diversity in nature-based programming.
She has dedicated her time to (re)introducing people of color to nature by starting with neighborhood nature walks, and eventually embarking on journeys into the many wild spaces across Baltimore.