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It is no longer enough for cities to create high-quality green spaces. To create strong connections with the community and between residents, parks departments must activate those spaces with culturally representative programs.
Keep Public Lands in Public Hands

Public lands are essential for our health, happiness, and connection—but right now, they’re under threat. Special interest groups are pushing to strip their protections, opening the door to development. That means fewer parks, trails, and natural spaces for all of us.

These spaces are our shared legacy. Take action now and urge Congress to keep public lands in public hands!

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There’s No Single or Right Way to Be Happiest Outside

Meet a dozen individuals who’ve found their joy outdoors.
We think they’ll inspire you as much as they inspire us.

Happiest Outside:
Casting Flies
Chad Brown
Chad Brown

“There’s this thing among anglers—it’s kind of like the fish becomes the by-product. Going fishing becomes spiritual. You’re searching for fish, but you’re also searching for happiness.”

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Happiest Outside:
Breaking Barriers
Profile: Erik Weihenmayer
Erik Weihenmayer

“The most exciting moments of our lives are when we break through those barriers standing between us and the things that other people see as impossible or improbable, but we believe in our hearts to be possible.”

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Happiest Outside:
On the Trail
Profile: Jenny Bruso
Jenny Bruso

“I found my way outside again in the form of day hikes and I rediscovered that wonder, that inherent sense of place I knew when I was a kid. My world opened back up…”

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Happiest Outside:
Going the Distance
Profile: Liz Thomas
Liz Thomas 

“Hiking gives me deep appreciation for the decisions and actions of those who have come before me. In the wilderness, I’m grateful for conservationists who protect our natural environment.”

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Happiest Outside:
Hanging Ten
Profile: Diane Cardwell
Diane Cardwell

“Surfing just brings me so much joy and makes me feel so centered and kind of at one with the universe in a way that almost nothing else can.”

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Happiest Outside:
Pressing Reset
Profile: Sean Gobin
Sean Gobin

“When you get out on the other side [of a through hike], it’s almost like a reset button. You’ve come to terms with what’s happened in the past, and you’re ready to move on.”

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Happiest Outside:
Hunting and Gathering
Profile: Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown

“It makes you appreciate the foundation of life, and why you live here.”

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Happiest Outside:
On the Singletrack
Mitch Doherty
Mitch Doherty

“Just about every weekend, we are out there whether the kids are excited about it or not. Some days it takes a little sweet-treat motivation, such as Starburst candies flicked out on the trail. But there is never a sad face at the end of the day.”

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Happiest Outside:
Running Free
Profile: Trailblader
Zach Friedley

“Can you imagine walking into a running shop to get shoes and the salesperson is like, ‘hey, I’m not going to sell you these shoes until you go run a marathon, then come back and show me your marathon certificate and then I’ll give you these shoes’?”

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Happiest Outside:
In the Park
Profile: Ke Meh
Ke Meh

“The park is like an oasis in a desert. When the weight of my future feels too heavy to handle, I visit the park by myself. I sometimes sit on the benches near the entrance and enjoy a good book (currently, I’m reading Fahrenheit 451), or I walk around while listening to my favorite musical artist, Daniel Caesar, and breathe in the crisp air.”

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Happiest Outside:
Stewarding the Land
Profile: Chuck Loring, Jr.
Charles “Chuck” Loring Jr.

“We are responsible stewards, guided by our ancestors, elders, chief, and council to do the right thing by our land for our people.”

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Happiest Outside:
Going Big ... Or Small
Profile: Caroline Gleich
Caroline Gleich

“For me, growing up as a young girl with three brothers, a young woman who went to Catholic school where I had to wear a skirt and was always told to stay in your seat and be quiet … the mountains gave me a place where I could be wild and free. I just felt a sense of personal power.”

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Running in a field
SPREAD JOY
Help Everyone Feel Happiest Outside