We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Deborah McGlawn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Deborah below.

Alright, Deborah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s go back in time a bit – can you share a story of a time when you learned an important lesson during your education?

One of the most important lessons I learned in grade school, was from Ms. Peacock, my favorite teacher at Charjean, Elementary, placed in the heart of Orange Mound, in Memphis, TN.

The lesson presented in an actual quote that has carried me throughout the years. The quote is: “If it is to be, it is up to me,” by African-American painter William H. Johnson.

This simple series of ten, two letter words speaks volumes and it has truly been my life’s motto in every regard. These ten words have been both empowering and motivating throughout the course of my life.

Deborah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Deborah McGlawn, the mother of two beautiful, adult children and one angel baby. I am the wife of an amazing man and my best Friend, Richie. We are blessed to have celebrated thirty years of marriage 4 September 23. Together we are the proud grandparents of two beautiful young men.

Richie and I began exploring nature in 2011 as a means of helping me escape depression, to heal and to finally unpack the death of our angel baby. While exploring nature and healing hikes, I discovered that nature therapy was exactly what I needed. Sadly, it took me forty-one years of life to discover nature as a healer.

Fast forward, I began sharing the magic of healing hikes with friends who also sought an alternative modality to healing. We began hiking and discovering the beauty of outdoors. While hiking, it was extremely obvious to us that we were the outdoor minority. The trails were filled with hikers; however, very few looked like me, or any of my family members. Basically, very few were Black, and even less were Black women

I quickly realized that our Black and Brown women were not utilizing the free alternative modality to healing, which is hiking in beautiful, free, green spaces. I further realized that Black and Brown women faced fears of inclusion, acceptance, uncertainty, with both historical and systemic traumas preventing us from collectively recreating outside and enjoying the beauty of being out in the woods.

After many scouts and hikes with one or two of my friends, the need for diversity and inclusion on the nature trails to waterfalls became extremely apparent. I began creating monthly hikes to waterfalls in search of healing our Black and Brown women, inclusion and diversity. The need for Black and Brown women to have a safe space in community was essential. After building community amongst my GirlTrek sisters and friends, it made sense that we fulfill the need and bridge the gap.

We began intentionally Chasing Waterfalls in 2017. After sharing my personal healing experiences with my GirlTrek friends, they too desired an introduction to nature as an alternative modality to healing. At the time we were hiking to waterfalls for community and sisterhood. We were exploring waterfalls, one adventure at a time.

After several years of Chasing Waterfalls, I had an enlightening experience which transformed Chasing into Ch8sing. Remember, it was depression, and pain at the death of our daughter, which I had carried for many years that had me in an uncomfortable, unfamiliar space. I began receiving angel signs in the form of the numbers 444. Amazingly, I would see and acknowledge this number almost daily. After being prompted to check D’Anika’s baby book, one morning at exactly 4:44, I was reminded that she was born 11.11.91 at exactly 4:44. The signs I was seeing was her way of reminding me that she had lived and so should I.

It was during this time that Chasing transformed into Ch8sing. The number eight is the best representation of the infinity symbol available in the alphanumeric system. Though it presents as an eight, it is a symbolism that D’Anika is infinitly, forever and always with us. This was the birth of Ch8sing Waterfalls and the emphatic shift to our intentionally increasing the Brown Faces in Green Spaces.

Today, we are choosing to Embr8ce the Ch8se for healing, inclusion, diversity, community and sisterhood. We have evolved and the continued evolution of Ch8sing Waterfalls makes me proud. The fact that we are intentionally increasing the Black and Brown faces in beautiful green spaces, makes me proud. The idea that Black and Brown women, as a collective, are healing and we are forging diversity outdoors makes me proud. Each time we choose healing outdoors, and step outside of the norm, we are creating our own outdoor narrative, a new narrative. This makes me proud.

Access to nature is free. Nature is and always has been a natural healer. Ch8sing Waterfalls is a beautiful, Black owned, Woman owned, non-profit organization intentionally changing the outdoor narrative while helping heal our Black and Brown women in community and sisterhood. For over six years now, we have carried this mission and this vision for our community. This makes me proud.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

The major lesson unlearned while on this outdoor journey of inclusion and diversity is that the outdoors is for all. Because of historical traumas and darkness that happened to our ancestors in the woods, Black and Brown individuals, especially women, have not always felt safe or welcomed outdoors.

Despite the awkward looks, random unsolicited comments and gestures we encountered while on the trail, we remained resilient in our pursuit of enjoying nature as an alternative modality to healing. Hiking in community with Black and Brown women, allowed me to begin unlearning the fear of being in the woods. It helped me unlearn the foolish idea that we, Black and Brown women, did not belong. Hiking has helped begin the healing of generational traumas transferred by our elders. This is truly a process that will take years of hiking and healing. We are here for our personal healing and growth.

The unlearned mentality and unhealthy living is a thing of my past. We belong! We’re outside, and we’re not going in.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Resiliency, transparency and authenticity have all helped to build the reputation of Ch8sing Waterfalls.

Despite the obstacles and initial barriers, we remained resilient and dedicated to our personal healing, our mission and our vision.

While building a reputable brand, it remains a priority for us to be reliable and trustworthy. We recognize that these qualities have helped build our reputation in the outdoor market.

Additionally, our unique experience, and approach to encouraging and inspiring healing for our Black and Brown women in outdoor spaces prove instrumental in helping to build our reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ch8singwaterfalls.org
• Instagram: https://www.twitter.com/ch8singwaterfalls
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ch8singwaterfalls
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ch8singwtrfalls
• Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ch8singwaterfalls

Image Credits
The only image not taken by Ch8sing Waterfalls is the one when we were in Jamaica with the yellow wall. The photographer is Dexter Heaven, a Jamaican photographer, and owner of Dex Media JA and Dexmediawedding on IG. He is also on YouTube at youtube.com/c/DexMediaja