Today we’d like to introduce you to Tanya Walker.
Hi Tanya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey started with a simple but powerful desire: to create spaces where Black and Brown women could experience adventure, connection, and new opportunities without feeling like they didn’t belong.
In 2018, I founded Black Women Who after recognizing how rarely I saw women who looked like me represented in outdoor and recreational spaces. What started as an idea to bring women together grew into something much bigger a community centered around education, empowerment, confidence, wellness, and meaningful experiences.
Over the years, we’ve introduced women and children to experiences such as camping, kayaking, hiking, swimming, fishing, archery, golf, birding, and other outdoor adventures. We’ve also built partnerships with organizations that share our commitment to creating access and opportunity. One of the things I’m most proud of is watching women step outside of their comfort zones, accomplish something they never thought they could do, and then encourage another woman to do the same.
Building Black Women Who hasn’t always been easy. I’ve had to learn how to lead, build partnerships, manage volunteers, create programs, navigate challenges, and continue growing while staying true to the heart of why I started.
Today, what began as an idea has grown into a community that reaches women across multiple cities and chapters. And I still believe we’re only getting started.
For me, Black Women Who is bigger than outdoor recreation. It’s about representation, access, sisterhood, and showing Black and Brown women and children that these spaces belong to us, too. My goal is to continue opening doors, creating unforgettable experiences, and building something that will positively impact generations to come.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Building Black Women Who from an idea into a growing organization has come with plenty of challenges. One of the biggest has been learning how to grow without losing the heart and purpose behind why I started. As we expanded, I had to learn about leadership, building the right team, managing volunteers, developing partnerships, funding programs, and creating structure often while figuring things out in real time.
There have also been moments of disappointment. Not everyone who starts the journey with you is meant to finish it with you. I’ve had to make difficult decisions, navigate different personalities and expectations, deal with limited resources, and learn when to let go of things that were no longer serving the mission. As a founder, you quickly realize that passion can get something started, but passion alone cannot sustain it you need structure, consistency, accountability, and people who genuinely believe in the vision.
But those challenges have also shaped me as a leader. I’ve learned to become more intentional about who I partner with, who I allow into leadership, and where I invest my energy. Every obstacle has forced me to strengthen the foundation of Black Women Who and reminded me why this work matters.
I wouldn’t call the road smooth, but I would absolutely call it worth it. Watching women conquer fears, try something for the first time, build friendships, and realize that they belong in spaces where they may not have traditionally seen themselves represented makes every challenge along the way meaningful.
We’ve been impressed with Black Women Who, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Black Women Who is more than an organization, it’s a community built around representation, access, adventure, and sisterhood. Our mission is to intentionally create opportunities for Black and Brown women and children to experience outdoor recreation, wellness, education, and adventure in spaces where we have historically been underrepresented.
We specialize in creating experiences that encourage our members to try something new, build confidence, develop lifelong skills, and connect with others. Our programming includes camping, kayaking, hiking, swimming, fishing, archery, golf, bird watching, yoga, stargazing, outdoor education, and so much more. Through strategic partnerships, we’re also able to introduce our community to experiences they may never have imagined themselves doing.
What sets Black Women Who apart is that we don’t simply invite people outdoors we help remove the barriers that keep them from getting there. I don’t want our events to be a one time event. I want our members to hold space in their new adventure. With the partnership of The Texas Rowing Center, we’ve ladies and their kids actively rowing and holding membership. We see the need and the reason why it’s so important for our members to know a vital skill such as swimming. So we partnered with local swimming companies that offer swimming lessons at a discounted rate for our members and their kids. Additionally, for many of our events, we provide equipment, education, guidance, and a supportive community. You may have never camped before, never sat in a kayak, or even know what equipment you need and that’s okay. Come as you are. We’ll help you learn.
I’m especially proud that Black Women Who has grown beyond hosting events into creating real opportunities. We’ve developed meaningful partnerships with organizations such as NOLS, Texas Outdoor Family, Texas Rowing Center, Travis Audubon, and others that allow our members to gain skills, experience adventure, and see themselves represented in spaces they may have once believed weren’t for them.
Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the trust and community we’ve built. When people see Black Women Who, I want them to think: “I can do that too.” Whether that means learning to swim as an adult, sleeping in a tent for the first time, kayaking with your children, hiking somewhere you’ve never been, or taking on an expedition that challenges you physically and mentally, we want our members to leave feeling more capable than when they arrived.
Ultimately, we’re not just creating outdoor experiences we’re creating exposure, confidence, skills, memories, and representation. We are changing the picture of who belongs outdoors and helping the next generation grow up knowing they never have to question whether these spaces are for them.
They belong there. We belong there.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
I would say resilience and the dedication of my volunteers, has been the most important quality behind Black Women Who’s success. When you’re building something you truly believe in, there will be setbacks, disappointments, mistakes, and moments when things simply don’t go according to plan. I’ve learned that success isn’t about avoiding those moments, it’s about refusing to let them stop you.
I’m also very resourceful. If I don’t know something, I’ll learn it. If there isn’t a clear path, I’ll work to create one. I’m willing to ask questions, build relationships, make adjustments, and sometimes completely rethink an approach if it means moving the mission forward.
Most importantly, I stay connected to my purpose. Black Women Who isn’t just something I created, it represents a need I genuinely believe deserves to be addressed. Seeing women gain confidence, develop new skills, build friendships, and experience things they never imagined themselves doing keeps me motivated.
Resilience keeps me going, resourcefulness helps me figure it out, and purpose reminds me why I started.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.blackwomenwho.com
- Instagram: blackwomenwho_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bwwatx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6fGRY1oVqE
