Weekend for All: When Access Becomes Belonging

And just like that, the third annual Weekend for All has ended!

Each year I always have a little bit of a hard time when it ends. There is so much planning and hope that goes into making this weekend happen. But there is truly something special about watching participants arrive, sometimes not knowing what to expect, and then watching them settle in, explore, laugh, learn something new, and connect with one another, or simply do nothing but recharge.

Weekend for All was created by North Cascades Institute with a focused commitment to outreach and engage with populations who have been historically underserved and lacked equitable access to public lands. People who have not always felt welcomed at our public parks. Because access isn’t just about whether someone can physically enter a park. It’s also about whether they feel like they belong there once they arrive.

This year our outreach and engagement was more expansive. For the first time, many of our participants were returnees. We also welcomed people who traveled from as far away as the South and Southeastern region, including: South Carolina, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C.

There was something wonderful about seeing familiar faces alongside people who were experiencing Weekend for All for the first time.

So, the weather didn’t quite cooperate as it wasn’t the sunny, hot weather we’ve had during previous Weekend for All weekends. But that didn’t stop anybody. Participants enjoyed the same activities, and as always, the big canoe was a hit! The watercolor class was popular, as was the bird walk led by the Institute’s own graduate, Chris Williams, which gave participants another opportunity to slow down, look around, and experience the Environmental Learning Center in a different way.

But what I noticed most this year wasn’t necessarily the activities. It was the people.

This year’s Weekend for All felt like we had reached a groove. Though the programming was still structured, there seemed to be more ownership from the participants who made the weekend their own.

Possibly, some of that came from how lodging was arranged. Participants were randomly assigned and no longer offered lodging according to the group they belonged to, which gave people an opportunity to get to know others they may not have otherwise met. And they did.

That’s part of what Weekend for All is really about. It’s about access to public lands, but also about creating opportunities for people to see themselves in these spaces, to feel welcomed, and also to connect with others who may have had similar experiences, or completely different ones.

And like last year, most participants said they would return. Many also said they would tell others about Weekend for All or bring someone with them the next time. Several participants also shared how grateful they were for this opportunity provided by North Cascades Institute. 

I am also grateful that the Institute has committed to integrating Weekend for All into their regular programs. Because when people have historically been told, directly or indirectly, that certain spaces aren’t for them, an invitation can mean much more than simply opening a door.

It can be the beginning of belonging.

by Alma Busby-Williams, Welcome & Belonging Advisor