James Edward Mills

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James Edwards Mills (born 1966) [1] [2] is an African American freelance journalist, author, outdoor guide, and independent media producer who specializes in telling stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, and sustainable living. [3] [4]

Contents

Mills is the author of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors. He has contributed to publications including National Geographic, Rock & Ice and Alpinist. [5] [6] Mills was one of the creative minds behind An American Ascent, a documentary chronicling the first all African American ascent of Denali, North America's highest peak. [7]

Biography

Mills grew up in Los Angeles, California. He developed an interest in the outdoors through his participation in a local Boy Scout troop. [8] He received a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley. [3] Subsequently, Mills started an outdoor focused career in 1989, spending time as a guide, outfitter, independent sales representative, writer, and photographer. [9]

In 2009, Mills founded "The Joy Trip Project", a news gathering and reporting organization that covers business, art and culture of the outdoor recreation industry. Through the blog and podcast, Mills covers the people and culture within the industry and unearths buried stories, particularly of adventurers of color. [9] [10]

In 2013, alongside Aparna Rajagopal-Durbin and Jeanne O’Brian of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Mills helped organize Expedition Denali, the first all African American expedition to successfully summit Denali, North America's highest peak. [11] A documentary about the Denali expedition entitled: An American Ascent was subsequently produced. Mills acted as a cowriter and coproducer on this production. [5]

In 2014, Mills authored The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors, which recounts Expedition Denali and explores the difficulties minorities face when seeking to utilize the nation's outdoor resources. It additionally highlights role models who found ways to participate in outdoor recreation despite these barriers. [11] [6]

Mills is a faculty assistant at the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. [9] [12] He teaches a summer course for undergraduate students on diversity, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation and public management called "Outdoors for All." [13]

Awards & honors

Published works

Books

Selected articles

Filmography

Credited as a cowriter and coproducer on the production.

Credited as a coproducer on the production.

Credited as a costar on the production.

Awards

An American Ascent won Best Feature Film at the Mountain & Adventure Film Festival. [7] It was also won Best Documentary and Best Director at the San Diego Black Film Festival. [25] [7] The film was privately screened at the White House in June 2015. [26]

Breaking Trail was an Official Selection for the 2021 Banff Mountain Film Festival. [23] In 2022, Breaking Trail won Best Mountain Culture Film at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Fest, Eric Moe Best Short Film Award at the Environmental Film Festival, Best Short Film at the Frozen River Film Festival and Best Short Film (People's Choice) at the Boulder International Film Festival. [27]

Legacy

In 2020, Outside Magazine named The Adventure Gap one of the 10 "Outdoor Books that Shaped the Last Decade". [28] [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denali</span> Highest mountain in North America

Denali is the highest mountain peak in North America, with a summit elevation of 20,310 feet (6,190 m) above sea level. It is the tallest mountain in the world from base-to-peak on land, measuring 18,000 ft (5,500 m), and Earth's highest mountain north of 43°N. With a topographic prominence of 20,194 feet (6,155 m) and a topographic isolation of 4,621.1 miles (7,436.9 km), Denali is the third most prominent and third-most isolated peak on Earth, after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Located in the Alaska Range in the interior of the U.S. state of Alaska, Denali is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Outdoor Leadership School</span> Non-profit outdoor education school

NOLS is a non-profit outdoor education school based in the United States dedicated to teaching environmental ethics, technical outdoor skills, wilderness medicine, risk management and judgment, and leadership on extended wilderness expeditions and in traditional classrooms. It was previously known as the National Outdoor Leadership School, but in 2015, this label was retired in favor of the independent "NOLS". The "NOLS" mission is to be the leading source and teacher of wilderness skills and leadership that serve people and the environment. NOLS runs courses on six continents, with courses in a variety of wilderness environments and for almost any age group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Middendorf</span> American mountain climber and inventor

John Middendorf is a big wall climber and designer of climbing equipment.

Outside TV is a sports-oriented cable and satellite television network based on Outside magazine. The network features programming related to various outdoor activities and the lives of those who engage in them. High-definition programs appear on the company's cable, satellite and broadband providers’ sports and entertainment offerings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conrad Anker</span> American rock climber, mountaineer, and author

Conrad Anker is an American rock climber, mountaineer, and author. He was the team leader of The North Face climbing team for 26 years until 2018. In 1999, he located George Mallory's body on Everest as a member of a search team looking for the remains of the British climber. Anker suffered a widow maker heart attack in 2016 during an attempted ascent of Lunag Ri with David Lama. Anker was flown via air ambulance to Kathmandu where he underwent emergent coronary angioplasty with a stent placed in his proximal left anterior descending artery. Afterwards he retired from high altitude mountaineering, but otherwise he continues his work. He lives in Bozeman, Montana.

David Stuart Roberts was an American climber, mountaineer, college professor, and author of books and articles about climbing and the history of the American Southwest. He was particularly noted for his books The Mountain of My Fear and Deborah: A Wilderness Narrative, chronicling major ascents in Alaska in the 1960s, which had a major impact on the form of mountaineering literature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Chin</span> American mountain climber and film director and skier (born 1973)

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evrard Wendenbaum</span>

Evrard Wendenbaum is a French outdoor photographer, filmmaker, geologist and explorer.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Hahn</span> American mountaineer

David Allen Hahn is an American professional mountain guide, ski patroller, journalist and lecturer. In May 2013, he reached the summit of Mount Everest for the 15th time—at the time, this was the most summits for a non-Sherpa climber, according to Outside Magazine contributor and climber Alan Arnette. His record was surpassed by Kenton Cool in 2022. Among Hahn’s other notable accomplishments are his 39 summits of Vinson Massif, Antarctica’s highest mountain. He has reached the summit of Denali in Alaska, North America’s highest peak, 25 times over the course of 37 expeditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outdoor recreation</span> Recreation engaged in out of doors

Outdoor recreation or outdoor activity refers to recreation done outside, most commonly in natural settings. The activities that encompass outdoor recreation vary depending on the physical environment they are being carried out in. These activities can include fishing, hunting, backpacking, walking and horseback riding — and can be completed individually or collectively. Outdoor recreation is a broad concept that encompasses a varying range of activities and landscapes.

Tom Stienstra is an American author, outdoorsman and Outdoors Writer Emeritus for the San Francisco Chronicle. He produces a radio feature for KCBS in San Francisco, and hosted and co-produced a television special for PBS on the Tuolumne River. He has written several guide books for California, the Pacific Northwest and America. He has won several awards from the Outdoor Writers Association of America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glamping</span> Amenity-laden "glamorous camping"

Glamping is a portmanteau of "glamorous" and "camping", and describes a style of camping with amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with "traditional" camping. Glamping has become particularly popular with 21st-century tourists seeking modern amenities, such as Wi-Fi, alongside "the escapism and adventure recreation of camping", in a variety of accommodations such as cabins, treehouses, and tents.

Sean Burch is an American explorer, leadership performance specialist, and filmmaker. He is the author of the book, Hyperfitness: 12 Weeks to Reaching Your Inner Everest and Getting into the Best Shape of Your Life . He holds 8 World Records within fitness and adventure, and was the winner of National Geographic Channel’s Ultimate Survival Alaska TV show. Burch is the creator and founder of Hyperfitness, a wellness program. He was named Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal by the country's government. He resides within the Washington DC area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alain Hubert</span> Belgian explorer (born 1953)

Alain Hubert is a Belgian explorer. He is a certified mountain and polar guide, a civil engineer, and the founder President of the International Polar Foundation. With the Foundation and its private partners, he built and financed the construction of the scientific research station ‘Princess Elisabeth’. This station is the first ‘Zero Emissions’ station in Antarctica, designed under the spirit of the Madrid protocol system establishing in 1992 the strictest environmental rules to date for a continent through the Antarctic Treaty System.

Charles Madison Crenchaw was an African-American mountaineer and veteran flight engineer. On July 9, 1964, he became the first African-American to summit Denali, the highest-peak in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Hoffman</span> American singer-songwriter, producer, and television personality

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Ann Krcik was a senior director of The North Face and a co-founder of Camber Outdoors, the nonprofit created to push women's equality in the outdoor industry. She began working for The North Face at age 26, but left in 1992 to launch Extreme Connection, the first agency to represent athletes and secure endorsement deals and speaking engagements for them. She returned to the retailer in 2011, where she led global brand communications and outdoor exploration, with a strong focus on protecting public lands. She helped establish and lead The North Face's Explore Fund, which provides $500,000 annually to fund programs that increase outdoor access. Krcik was also elected to the Conservation Alliance board in 2015.

Tyrhee Moore is an American mountaineer and member of the first all African American team to climb Denali in 2013. Moore is a Mountaineer and Outdoor Education Advocate active with the Diversify Outdoors coalition and founder of Soul Trak Outdoors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ambreen Tariq</span> Activist and childrens author

Ambreen Tariq is an American activist and children's author whose work focuses on outdoor recreation, accessibility, and social justice. In 2016, Tariq founded @BrownPeopleCamping, an Instagram account that highlights the recreational experiences of people of color and immigrants in the United States. Her writing has been featured in Outside magazine, and in 2020 she published her debut children's book, Fatima's Great Outdoors. She has been profiled by The New York Times, NPR, CNN Health, Elite Daily, and more.

References

  1. ↑ Congress, The Library of. "LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies (Library of Congress)". id.loc.gov. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  2. ↑ "310614346". viaf.org. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  3. 1 2 3 "James Edward Mills". explorer-directory.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  4. ↑ "James Edward Mills". Center for Humans & Nature. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  5. 1 2 "James Edward Mills". Mountainfilm. 2015-05-05. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  6. 1 2 Mills, James. "The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors". The Mountaineers. Retrieved 2021-03-18.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "An American Ascent". An American Ascent. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  8. ↑ "The Adventure Gap: Q&A with Author James Edward Mills — Washington Trails Association". www.wta.org. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "About The Joy Trip Project". The Joy Trip Project. 2018-01-21. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  10. ↑ "Where are all the stories of Black adventurers? This L.A. native's mission is to find them". Los Angeles Times. 2023-05-04. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  11. 1 2 "Outdoors for All: An Interview with James Edward Mills - National Forest Foundation". www.nationalforests.org. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  12. ↑ "James Mills". Earth Day. 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  13. ↑ "'Outdoors for All': Summer course explores efforts to make recreation and conservation more diverse and inclusive - Nelson Institute | News". nelson.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  14. ↑ "Wilderness Education Association - Past Recipients". wea.wildapricot.org. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  15. ↑ "Familiar Faces, Important Places". River Alliance of WI. 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  16. ↑ Mills, James Edward. "The Buffalo Soldiers' Overlooked Role in Preserving Our Public Lands" . Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  17. ↑ Mills, James Edward (2014). The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors. Mountaineers Books. ISBN   978-1-59485-868-0.
  18. ↑ "How can the National Park Services work to be anti-racist?". Travel. 2020-06-23. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  19. ↑ "These people of color transformed U.S. national parks". Travel. 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  20. ↑ Mills, James Edward (9 June 2020). "Opinion: Are we setting the stage for real change, or is history repeating itself?". SNEWS. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  21. ↑ Mills, James Edward (18 June 2019). "The road to a more diverse outdoor industry". SNEWS. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  22. ↑ "An American Ascent". Collective Eye Films. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  23. 1 2 "2021/22 World Tour Films". www.banffcentre.ca. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  24. ↑ "Blackwaters: Brotherhood in the Wild". Blackwaters: Brotherhood in the Wild.
  25. ↑ Adams, Casey. "'An American Ascent' Earns Best Picture, Best Director". blog.nols.edu. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  26. ↑ "The White House Screens AN AMERICAN ASCENT". An American Ascent. Retrieved 2021-03-03.
  27. ↑ "credo nonfiction". Credo Nonfiction. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  28. ↑ "James Mills". Earth Day 2022. 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  29. ↑ "These Books Changed the Outdoor World This Decade". Outside Online. 2019-12-25. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
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