BIack, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) have felt the violence of silence for centuries. Envision racism as a fire whose flames have been stoked for too long—not only by violent oppressors, but by the breath of individuals and institutions that have remained silent against racism, slowly and almost effortlessly breathing life into it.

Generations of people of color have become disconnected from nature due to displacement, environmental pollution and destruction, and exclusion. As a result, there’s a lack of internal wellness in the community that can be at least partially healed by reconnecting with nature. POCO intends to help to facilitate the reconnection.

The past few months have been devastating, laying bare historical, widespread racial inequities and systemic violence that Black Americans have endured for centuries. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities, and Asian American communities have seen spikes in racist incidents, including verbal and physical attacks since the onset of the virus.