Nature & Cultural Outings Series

Northwest Indiana, home to the incredibly biodiverse Indiana Dunes National Park, boasts green spaces rich in history and natural beauty. For generations, this land has been home to Indigenous nations such as the Potawatomi, Peoria, Miami, Fox, Sauk, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ojibwe, Odawa, Wea, Piankeshaw, Kickapoo, Illinois, Očhéthi Šakówin, Kaskaskia, and Dakota peoples. However, colonization and industrialization have erased Indigenous cultures, disconnecting us from the land and its history.

As heavy industry like refineries, pipelines, coal plants, and steel mills turned Northwest Indiana into an industrial hub attracting waves of immigrants building vibrant communities alongside Indigenous peoples, this growth came with pollution, unsustainable development, and health disparities, particularly for low-income communities and communities of color.

Our Nature & Cultural Outings Series aims to bridge this gap, reconnecting you with our local environment and shared heritage. These outings are our way of honoring the land, Mother Earth, and all who have come before us.