Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerel Ferguson.
Jerel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My name is Jerel Ferguson from Boston, Massachusetts and I am the co-Founder of Hike4Life. I am a passionate outdoor-man. I love nature and hiking. I enjoy outdoor sports. I’m a conservationist (a tree-hugger), naturalist and environmentalist.
Growing up in the city among the fortresses of brick and stone, I really didn’t have much exposure to nature. The only wildlife I had known growing up were the neighborhood squirrels, pigeons, stray cats and dogs and occasionally rats. My nature-deficient upbringing, has made me appreciate the wildlife that I discover now as an adult even more.
Hike4Life began in May 2010 when I along with a friend, co-founded the idea for this great organization. We basically said, “Let’s get a bunch of our people together and go on hiking trips.” This wasn’t an easy thing to do in our early stages. We agreed to use technology: Facebook, Twitter and even a start up website, all in the same day, to get our intentions out into the world fast, free and no start-up waste.
Getting black people to try something ‘new’ was challenging and still is. I, at the time of our inception had been hiking about 5 years before so, to me it was normal. But, for other people of color it was taboo.
On my many trips to the outdoors, I was the only one. I would never see people that looked like me out on the trails. In light of that realization, I accepted the challenge and vowed to break that urban myth and get people that looked like me into the great outdoors.
We hosted our first event in June of 2010 and we had a good crowd, not too many but it was a good amount of people who, like me, wanted to see what the hype was about hiking and getting out into nature.
I saw so many happy faces of people that looked like me in environments that I would only see Caucasians or Asians, it was as if I was given a new freedom to do what I wanted to do and not be afraid to do it! I was certainly inspired and even more excited to make Hike4Life a success, so we went to work.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No, it has not been smooth at all. Like most trails, it’s been rugged and rough but one of my many motto is: “The reward is at the top.” I/we, strive to provide a service to anyone, who is willing to put their trust in me and my skills to lead them in and out of the woods.
Despite financial, personnel, physical challenges and waning support from friends and family, Hike4Life has been a source for people who are looking for an escape from the city, from the noise and hustle and bustle of everyday city life.
Hike4Life – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialized in guided tours in natural settings. We also host urban hikes through parts of the city to get people active and moving and seeing their neighborhoods with their feet instead of cars or busing. We also partner with Roxbury Rides, which is a biking advocacy group that focuses on teaching women and people of color biking and advocating for improved biking infrastructure. I’m also a forager and I teach people how to find, identify and eat wild edible plants that we find on our trips. I think that I’m known for being a great guide (guy) and I pay attention to many little details of the trails and the people that I take with me. It’s very important to me to see everyone and to know how everyone is doing when they are out with me and in my care.
I am proud that as of May 2018, we have been around for 8 years and have hiked thousands of miles, climbed thousands of feet and have touched the lives of thousands (we hope) of people who have hiked, walked, climbed or biked with us in some capacity. I am proud that people still talk about us and that many see us as their “go to” business when they want to do things in nature. Our camping trips are fun, too!
What sets us apart? I’m not sure but I do know that, we are genuine in everything that we do, we take our time, we leave no one behind, we provide an “educational workout” and people have said that we have changed their lives… I look forward to changing many, many more.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Great question. I measure success in stories. When people spend time with us, the stories that come from them post hike are great. From how someone is feeling before, during and then afterwards is a measurement of success for me. When someone tells me that they heard about us from one of their friends and they can’t wait to hike with me, when schools reach out to me because of a great experience one of their teachers had. To me that is success and impact, both which move us to continue the work that we do.
Contact Info:
- Address: 42 Howard Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02125 - Website: www.urbanoutdoorsassociation.com
- Phone: 6178200749
- Email: jerelferguson@gmail.com
- Instagram: @hike4life1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/outofthehoods/
Image Credit:
Hike4Life, Jerel Ferguson
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