Beyond the Black Square: Teresa Baker on Inclusivity Action vs. Rhetoric in the Outdoor Industry
6/8/202630 min
In this episode of Outdoor Unfiltered, Eoin sits down with Teresa Baker, the co-director and co-founder of the Outdoor Diversity Alliance (ODA) and the unofficial queen of outdoor inclusivity, for a transparent look at the state of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoor industry.
Tracing their collaborative roots back to 2018 with the launch of the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge and a fateful 2022 summit at the Patagonia Ventura headquarters, Eoin and Teresa discuss what it takes to build authentic corporate relationships. Modeled originally after the industry action of The Conservation Alliance (TCA), the ODA has rallied an impressive collective of over 23 brands committed to real action—including Burton, Keen, Smartwool, REI, Cirrus, BOA, SIA, Aspen, Bonfire Collective, and the Switchback trade show.
This conversation confronts the heavy challenges facing modern brands around inclusiviyt work. Teresa directly addresses the shift from performative corporate gestures to the deep internal work of diversifying corporate boards and staff. Eoin and Teresa unpack why brands are "turtling" in fear of political boycotts, why companies like Brooks Running get authenticity right, and why high-profile outdoor faces need to step up and use their platforms.
Unfiltered, urgent, and inspiring, this episode is a call to action to lean into "good trouble," adapt to changing cultural demographics, and rewrite the corporate script to preserve our collective Joy in the Outdoors.
Connect With Us
We would love to hear your thoughts on the show, inside intel, guest ideas, sponsorship inquiries or whatever's on your mind. You can reach out directly via the following channels:
- LinkedIn: Connect with our host, Eoin Comerford.
- Email: Drop us a line at outdoorunfilteredpod@gmail.com.
Our Sponsors
This episode of Outdoor Unfiltered is made possible by the incredible support of our industry sponsors:
- ENDVR — The network that connects brands, retailers, and frontline associates to power sell-through across your wholesale channel.
- Crux Retail — Creating bold retail displays for bold brands.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsEoin Comerford· Host0:00
[upbeat music] This is Outdoor Unfiltered, where we dig beyond the PR speak to see what's really going on in the outdoor industry. Not just what happened, but why it happened and why it matters. I'm Owen Comerford, a former CEO, advisor to outdoor brands, and consigliere to The Rock Five. Okay, today's show is going to be a little bit different. As I record this, I'm actually getting ready to head to Reno, which is the site of Grassroots Connect Show, which is put on by the Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, or GOA, which is a group of leading outdoor specialty retailers. I'm planning to drop a special episode later this week on my favorite new brands at the Discovery Marketplace, and I'll also be doing a number of interviews with key brand executives. So more to come on that. But before that, I wanted to share a very special conversation that I had with Teresa Baker of the Outdoor Diversity Alliance, where we sit down and we talk about what's happening with inclusivity work in the outdoor industry in the era of the DEI backlash, and the importance of rediscovering the joy of being outdoors. But first, here's a message from the pod's very first sponsor, Endeavor. Listen, after 12 years as the CEO of an outdoor retail chain, I can tell you exactly how the game is won or lost. It's on the sales floor. When a customer walks into your shop, they're looking for an expert and a recommendation. But as a brand, how do you stay top of mind when your reps can't be in the store 24/7?