Thinking like a river: A recap of the 2023 Inside-Out Conference

Editor’s note: This story comes from our Director of Events & External Relations, Laurie Rich, who led the planning for our 2023 Inside-Out International Conference.

As we began to plan for the 2023 Inside-Out International Conference, Children & Nature Network staff adopted the motto “unconference the conference.” This phrase, echoed often in the months and weeks leading up to the event, stemmed from the unlearning required to execute a conference that was certainly not in a “typical” venue location — a rustic YMCA camp nestled into the Rocky Mountains. Though unconventional, the unique venue offered opportunities for conference attendees to commune with nature and participate in outdoor experiences.

In early planning for the event, we chose to “think like a river” — adapting, flowing, and connecting diverse ecosystems and networks as we traveled along. Modeling our event after nature’s flow allowed us to think more creatively, giving us permission for things to get a bit messy, and ultimately produced a more organic conference than we have ever previously hosted.

With help from the Colorado Advisory Council and Youth Advisory Council, we determined that the conference would focus on centering Indigeneity and elevating the voices of environmental justice youth leaders committed to their work as environmental stewards. Next, we got to work building relationships!

We were honored to collaborate with incredible speakers for our morning’s general sessions: Tyler Massias and other young environmental justice changemakers from Earth Guardians; Outdoorist Oath leaders José González and Gabaccia Moreno; Alicia Fall of Her Many Voices Foundation; and co-founder of Womxn of the Mountain/county councilmember Renée Chacon. They embraced our “thinking like a river” mentality, challenging us to open our conference arms wide, and embrace ideas and people new to our community. 

The real fun began on July 12, as families, educators, funders, policymakers and leaders from a diverse array of countries and fields finally arrived at YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado. This year, we were additionally thrilled to have 28 Indigenous and BIPOC youth attend on scholarship. For several days, participants listened to keynote speakers in the morning, then attended panel discussions, breakout sessions and workshops in the afternoon on topics ranging from green schoolyards to accessible joy.

In addition to activating our brains with all the session information, we infused art into the conference day to inspire our creativity. We intentionally left extra space in the conference schedule for informal meet ups, time for self-reflection and opportunities to be in nature. And our hearts were opened with daily land blessing ceremonies beautifully offered by Chief Lee Plenty Wolf, a Lakota elder and spiritual leader from the Oglala tribe.

As conference planners, we were happy to hear rave reviews from attendees and speakers alike. 

“This conference has filled my cup up with so much new wisdom and inspiration after meeting so many amazing leaders/students from all over the world,” said Angela Martinez, a BIPOC leader from GlobalMindED. “Special thanks to Alicia Fall for including me and my two daughters to enjoy this unforgettable experience at the YMCA of the Rockies! We look forward to attending the 2024 Inside-Out Conference!”

Tyler Massias, a conference speaker from youth environmental justice organization Earth Guardians echoed Angela’s enthusiasm for the conference. “The speakers can’t stop raving about it, and it actually set a precedent on how we want to present our youth speakers in the future,” he said. “Inside-Out is unlike any other conference any of us have been to, so we’re all grateful to have been a part of it. Thank you so much for this phenomenal opportunity.”

Speaker and Outdoorist Oath’s Executive Director, Gabaccia Moreno said, “This was the only conference I’ve presented at or attended that truly gave the stage to BIPOC speakers.”

Keynote speaker Alicia Fall, of Her Many Voices, shared that the event was thoughtful and welcoming to the Indigenous community, making her feel safe, comfortable and integrated. Alicia felt so at home that she invited her family to join her in attending and supporting the conference, and at the end of the week, she told us that she left the conference feeling that her family had expanded.

Speaker Alicia Fall reflects on her experience at the 2023 Inside-Out International Conference.

We were overjoyed to hear that our efforts to plan an innovative, restorative event — one that felt welcoming and safe for everyone — had paid off.

Beyond the stars counted, breaths of fresh air taken and elks photographed, there were new connections made and existing connections deepened. Sure, the coffee wasnʻt great, but the ever-present Rocky Mountains filled our cups with inspiration and provided a constant reminder of how important access to nature is for all of us.

Let the fun continue

You can check out pictures from the event in our new 2023 Inside-Out Conference photo exhibit. 

And, we invite you to channel the spirit of the conference by participating in our Vitamin N Challenge, which takes place during July and August every year. The #VitaminNChallenge, made possible by Nature’s Way, is an open-ended invitation to incorporate more of the essential Vitamin N (nature!) into your everyday life. Check out our Vitamin N page for more inspiration and resources. 

Mark your calendars!

The 2024 Inside-Out International Conference will be held May 28-31 in Madison, Wisconsin. We hope you can join us!

If you’d like to stay plugged into the children and nature movement in the meantime, check out The Trailhead, the Children & Nature Network’s online platform for peer learning and networking. There, you can continue the conversation with fellow conference attendees, peruse the job board, share tips for getting children connected with nature, and more! Learn more and join.

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