{"id":23420,"date":"2020-08-06T15:00:59","date_gmt":"2020-08-06T22:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/community.nrs.com\/?p=23420"},"modified":"2020-11-12T11:01:38","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T19:01:38","slug":"river-warriors-adam-edwards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/","title":{"rendered":"River Warriors: Adam Edwards"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Adam Edwards finds delight in doing hard things, physically uncomfortable things. On his 33<sup>rd<\/sup> birthday, he celebrated by hiking and running 33 miles. Once, we goaded each other into training for our first marathon with only six weeks to do so. We trained in the Pacific Northwest winter and raced in 84-degree humid Bahamian weather. Knowing Adam was ahead, I fought through tears and cramps to finally collapse across the finish line where his uncles and a sea of Junkanoo dancers immediately swept us up in celebration.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-23420 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-and-faith-bahamas-marathon-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154702\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-2-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-and-faith-bahamas-marathon\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154700\/Adam-and-Faith-Bahamas-Marathon-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>Adam is the first person in his family to be born in the United States. Born in Florida, he grew up around water, swimming in the ocean. Later, when his family moved to Michigan, he embraced the Great Lakes. Going to high school in Arizona meant time in the desert.<\/p>\n<p>When he moved to Oregon for college, he reconnected with the ocean. \u201cSurfing was the first sport I picked up when I moved to Oregon, I was stoked to be living near a beach again. One of my co-workers and I went out and took surf lessons.\u201d He then started surfing every chance he got, early morning before class, or after working the morning shift at the YMCA.<\/p>\n<p>And then he learned to kayak. \u201cMy college roomie worked in the outdoor program and convinced me to join,\u201d he explains. \u201cThen she took me rafting one New Year\u2019s Day and I was hooked.\u201d He has since worked as a raft guide, stand-up paddleboard instructor and has taught kayak and paddling skills in Oregon and Talkeetna, Alaska. Today, kayaking is Adam\u2019s main outdoor outlet, though he now spends his days working as an arborist.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23435\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154633\/Adam-Edwards-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154633\/Adam-Edwards-7.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154633\/Adam-Edwards-7-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154633\/Adam-Edwards-7-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154633\/Adam-Edwards-7-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154633\/Adam-Edwards-7-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Adam sips his coffee and drives along happily behind the wheel of a newly acquired high top Astro van conversion. Bumper stickers like \u201cBoof + Destroy\u201d and \u201cNobody cares how high you run the Little White\u201d adorn the back.<\/p>\n<p>As we drive to White Salmon, WA, the radio is consumed with news. The U.S. is currently erupting in protests over the killings of Black Americans, most recently Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor. They represent the continuing legacy of decades of inequity for Black Americans. While many try to answer questions that feel new and impossible, the pressure to explain is immense, the conversations exhausting.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been investigating questions of race, identity politics, and culture for over a decade. It\u2019s what I studied in undergrad and the focus of my documentary work. As the U.S. learns it can no longer avoid talking about race and privilege, I wonder how we learn to have these conversations. Specifically, I wonder how people learn to be comfortable with the discomfort.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-23420 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-11\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154626\/Adam-Edwards-11-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-6_p-macy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-2-23433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154640\/Adam-Edwards-6_P-Macy-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-2-23433'>\n\t\t\t\tPhoto: Priscilla Macy\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>In speaking with many Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) friends who spend time engaged in outdoor activities, I think sometimes the answer is: somewhat reluctantly. BIPOC folks in majority white spaces are often asked to speak for their entire communities. Like Adam, who increasingly finds himself in a place where he\u2019s asked to speak on issues of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). I wanted to know how he feels about stepping into this position. So I ask, \u201cDo you feel like people see you as the Black kayaker?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After a pause he replies, \u201cI think people remember me because of a combination of my reputation and my skin color. People know who I am because I\u2019m &#8216;the Black Guy.\u2019 When I was starting out it helped. I stuck out and I also paddled A LOT.\u201d Just like his six-week marathon-training plan, when Adam was learning to kayak and actively trying to get better, he paddled almost every day. \u201cI had a lot of exposure, tenacity, and determination to get better,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd I paddled with anyone and everyone that wanted to paddle hard stuff and wanted to get better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23432\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154642\/Adam-Edwards-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154642\/Adam-Edwards-5.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154642\/Adam-Edwards-5-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154642\/Adam-Edwards-5-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154642\/Adam-Edwards-5-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154642\/Adam-Edwards-5-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>His ragtag group of paddlers did eventually improve. \u201cPeople have said to me, \u2018I\u2019m impressed with how far you\u2019ve come, you\u2019re very resilient and you\u2019ve walked away from stuff that would have made other people not want to stay in the sport.\u2019 I used to swim a lot,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you feel resistance to being seen as the black kayaker?\u201d I ask. He chews on the next thought before explaining, \u201cWhen I cared about my reputation [as a kayaker] more, I felt like if I was going to be the black kayaker I needed to be much more skilled than I am. I didn\u2019t want people to say, \u2018there\u2019s a black boater, he\u2019s not that great at kayaking.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When you\u2019re one of the few people who look like you in a given space, the weight you carry in everything you do is heavy. Although, at times there can be some positive aspects of that weight. Sometimes you can be an inspiration.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23438\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154628\/Adam-Edwards-10.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1152\" height=\"768\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154628\/Adam-Edwards-10.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154628\/Adam-Edwards-10-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154628\/Adam-Edwards-10-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154628\/Adam-Edwards-10-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1152px) 100vw, 1152px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A couple of years ago, Adam and a group of buddies pulled into a gas station after leaving a river in the Columbia Gorge. He was driving his van, Beatrix, with four boats strapped on top. Another Black man who had walked into the gas station approached Adam.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to do something like that,\u201d the man said. \u201cI\u2019ve lived here my whole life and I always see people on rivers,\u201d he said. While he\u2019d seen countless people headed to the river and boating by, he explained he\u2019d never seen a Black kayaker before. \u201cI gave him my info in case he ever wanted to come out,\u201d Adam said. \u201cIt made me feel like maybe seeing me out there could matter.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When we talk about the many barriers to getting more BIPOC paddlers into the sport, he says, \u201cThe conversation gets weird for me. I want there to be more people of color in whitewater kayaking but it\u2019s a legacy sport. Meaning, as a new paddler, someone has to introduce you to kayaking and literally hold your hand as you decide if you even want to stay in the sport. If you choose to stay, you have to decide how much you want to bite off.\u201d He means you can stick to laps on your local runs and riffles or commit to higher consequence rivers.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-23420 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-4\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154645\/Adam-Edwards-4-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-3\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154648\/Adam-Edwards-3-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-3_p-macy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154650\/Adam-Edwards-3_P-Macy-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>And, as Adam points out, finding and introducing new people to the sport if they aren\u2019t in the pipeline to a legacy of kayaking takes a lot of \u2018activation energy.\u2019 The onus really has to be on individuals to invite people into the sport and spend time introducing them to it. Or, you have to have access to an entry-level program. &#8220;Kayaking, in the US, is a very middle-class, white male sport; it costs a couple thousand dollars to get into, you have to have a car; you have to be within a few hours of a runnable river with consistent flows,\u201d Adam explains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s very life expensive,\u201d he explains. \u201cThat\u2019s a lot to ask of people on both sides, the person showing you and the person trying to learn. [But] that\u2019s also why it can make for some really great relationships.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-23441\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154623\/Adam-Edwards-Green-Race.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154623\/Adam-Edwards-Green-Race.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154623\/Adam-Edwards-Green-Race-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154623\/Adam-Edwards-Green-Race-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154623\/Adam-Edwards-Green-Race-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154623\/Adam-Edwards-Green-Race-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I sometimes equate the discomfort we experience in sport to the discomfort we experience in learning how to talk about hard topics like race and equity. As we drive, it strikes me that paddlers should have a lot of capacity for the discomfort of this conversation, they understand how to withstand discomfort and maintain calm and focus to achieve the task at hand.<\/p>\n<p>As I prod further about the social and cultural barriers to access, he says, \u201cI think the conversation often becomes overwhelming because of all the moving parts that in my opinions have to be addressed: socioeconomic, history, education, prejudices on an individual level and systemic level,\u201d he says. \u201cAddressing all of that at once requires a lot of mental gymnastics and openness. People have to address their own privileges and biases and that\u2019s a lot for people to think about.\u201d Adam empathetically thinks through all of the layers, you can tell he\u2019s thought about them often.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m unsatisfied with the idea that the barriers are too much, so I dig further. \u201cDoes it matter if the sport changes?\u201d I ask.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it does matter because it will bring a lot of new perspectives. I think for the longevity and the optics of the sport, acknowledging that more than just white people do it, and can do it, matters,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23425\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23425\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23425\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154656\/Adam-Edwards-2_P-Macy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154656\/Adam-Edwards-2_P-Macy.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154656\/Adam-Edwards-2_P-Macy-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154656\/Adam-Edwards-2_P-Macy-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154656\/Adam-Edwards-2_P-Macy-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154656\/Adam-Edwards-2_P-Macy-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23425\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: Priscilla Macy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even when we head to the outdoors, to the rivers, to the trails, we take the weight of the world with us. I ask Adam if he feels equipped to be answering all the questions about DEI he\u2019s more recently being asked to answer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes and no,\u201d he responds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy experience directly talking about race, equity, inclusion has only really been in the last few years. I\u2019ve felt a lot of pushback internally. I ask myself, <em>Why is this my thing to talk about? Why do I have to talk about it?<\/em> <em>Am I going to be able to do anything about it?<\/em> And externally people say, <em>You\u2019<\/em><em>re ju<\/em><em>st drumming up your skin tone for notoriety<\/em> <em>You\u2019re not really black anyways, you\u2019re too privileged to be suffering the things you\u2019re talking about.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople think that when you grow up surrounded by white culture, you don\u2019t know what it means to be Black,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery galleryid-23420 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards_p-macy-7\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-4-23442\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154621\/Adam-Edwards_P-Macy-7-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-4-23442'>\n\t\t\t\tAdam gears up for a day on the water. Photos: Priscilla Macy\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154658\/Adam-Edwards-1-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-5_p-macy\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154643\/Adam-Edwards-5_P-Macy-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>As a kid, Adam was surrounded by multiethnic groups of friends\u2014Philipinos, African and Eastern Europeans, Latinx and Caribbean. \u201cThere has always been a lot of code-switching. When I got into rafting and kayaking, my friends were all white and the things I liked to do were all white. The clients, the participants, the instructors\u2014all white. I went from code-switching all the time to kind of staying one thing. It was fun, but I didn\u2019t know how to get other POC involved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adam credits his upbringing for the tools he has to handle the difficult conversations and situations. Like a car full of white guys belting out the N-word as they sing gangster rap. When those micro-aggressions happen, he has always opted to say something or question why an assumption is being made\u2014or simply change the station.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy family\u2019s core principals were, <em>Always leave an interaction better than you entered it <\/em>and<em> Make the grass greener.<\/em> My parents also taught us some white people are just not going to like you and not going to give you an opportunity and you have to be vocal and speak up for yourself. Don\u2019t rely on them but don\u2019t fixate on them either.\u201d He learned a combination of compassion and hard truths about the way the world would treat him.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery galleryid-23420 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-family-photo-2-sm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154615\/Adam-Family-Photo-2-SM-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-family-photo-1\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154616\/Adam-Family-Photo-1-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-and-dad-small\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154704\/Adam-and-Dad-SMALL-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>His Bahamian family tried very hard to assimilate into American culture, fully buying into the American dream. But the dream was tainted \u201cTo feel like we are being told we are not American because we are black,\u201d Adam says, \u201cis really fucking\u2026 annoying to say the least. We\u2019re told America is a melting pot, but then when we try to be part of the American mainstream, we\u2019re told we are other.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, Adam started writing for a blog called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.melaninbasecamp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Melanin Base Camp<\/a>, which focuses on BIPOC experiences in the outdoors. \u201cStarting to confront my own anxiety about my experience through writing was a good entry point for me. Now I\u2019m more pointed about it. The community both challenges and supports us to push ourselves and our concept of our voice and power.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We talk about how the conversation has changed for Adam. \u201cThe past few years of being in community with POC in the outdoors, I realized that the communal experience and history that we share takes away a level of unease I have when I\u2019m the only black person. When its seven dudes pulling out of a Wal-Mart parking lot with kayaks strapped on top and boxes of beer in the back and a cop follows me out of the parking lot, no one else realizes why I\u2019m sketched out.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_23429\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23429\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-23429\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154647\/Adam-Edwards-4_P-Macy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154647\/Adam-Edwards-4_P-Macy.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154647\/Adam-Edwards-4_P-Macy-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154647\/Adam-Edwards-4_P-Macy-1000x750.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154647\/Adam-Edwards-4_P-Macy-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154647\/Adam-Edwards-4_P-Macy-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-23429\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: Priscilla Macy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While the world churns and people scramble for answers, we head to the river because we know it\u2019s a \u2018marathon not a sprint.\u2019 We grow weary of the conversations, which often require recounting negative experiences. I ask Adam if he has any pride about being Black in the outdoors. I am looking to remember the joy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like who I am and I like who I\u2019ve become. I hope the sport becomes more diverse. When I meet someone older than me who is black that has been out there longer than me, I get excited,\u201d he says. \u201cIt means somebody else did it first and even if I\u2019m worried about legacy, there is a shared legacy there. While I guess I am a bit reluctant to be known as this \u2018social justice paddler,\u2019 I made this decision and I\u2019m working my way through it and I\u2019m trying to do my best.<\/p>\n<p>As we pull up to the river, I think about how lucky we are to get to choose to do hard things\u2014that is privilege. For many paddlers, with only the weekend to sneak away to the water, the idea of complicating free time to talk about social justice and equity is a choice. For Adam, the conversation is thrust on him because of the color of his skin.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery galleryid-23420 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154653\/Adam-Edwards-2-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/adam-edwards-8\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" src=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-100x100.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-24x24.jpg 24w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-48x48.jpg 48w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-96x96.jpg 96w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d2kl15j267vxtq.cloudfront.net\/duct-tape\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/31154631\/Adam-Edwards-8-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 100px) 100vw, 100px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>His friends arrive and unpack their boats and he heads off. I\u2019m grateful to be reminded that he has a good team. As protests erupt from Welches, Oregon to Taiwan in support of the Black Lives Matters movement, it&#8217;s encouraging to see more people using their privilege and choosing to engage in hard conversations that might lead us to greater equity in all of the places where we live, learn, work and play.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Default\" style=\"tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 3.5in 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt 364.0pt 392.0pt 420.0pt 443.0pt;\"><em>Editor&#8217;s Note: Guest contributor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.faithebriggs.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Faith Briggs<\/a><span class=\"color_11\"> is a documentary film producer and outdoor enthusiast with a focus on diversity and representation. This summer, she and Adam partnered with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrs.com\/project\/just-add-water\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NRS&#8217;s Just Add Water campaign<\/a>\u00a0to help breakdown the barriers to the outdoors. A shorter version of this profile first appeared in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kayaksession.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kayak Session&#8217;s #75 Fall Issue<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Adam Edwards finds delight in doing hard things, physically uncomfortable things. On his 33rd birthday, he celebrated by hiking and running 33 miles. Once, we&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47981,"featured_media":23443,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[339],"tags":[62,537,538,518,33],"class_list":["post-23420","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nrs-culture","tag-conservation","tag-dei","tag-diversity-equity-inclusion","tag-river-warriors","tag-whitewater-kayaking","post-grid"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>River Warriors: Adam Edwards | Duct Tape Diaries | NRS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our rivers need more paddlers like Adam Edwards. Because to fall in love and fight for rivers, you have to first feel welcome to be on those rivers.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2020\/08\/06\/river-warriors-adam-edwards\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"River Warriors: Adam Edwards\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Our rivers need more paddlers like Adam Edwards. 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