Outside Mind is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering equitable outdoor recreation access and opportunity for underserved groups and families. Our core philosophy is that every individual should have easy and safe access to nature, benefiting their overall health, well-being and sense of joy and belonging to the outdoors.
Through advocacy efforts and the provision of year-round free outdoor recreational activities, we actively dismantle barriers that prevent people from fully experiencing and connecting with nature.
Creating an inclusive and welcoming community in nature is at the heart of our mission. We collaborate with community and corporate partners to explore innovative solutions and drive transformative change in the outdoors.
Currently, our services extend to the North Shore, Massachusetts region and select areas within Greater Boston.
We envision a world where our communities are able to easily access and connect to the outdoors, freely belong and have the resources they need for adventure while building meaningful relationships. We invite you to be a catalyst for positive change, empowering our communities to live joyful, adventurous, resilient, and healthy lives through nature connection and the great outdoors.
Jireh F. Ishaazi founded Outside Mind in 2021 driven by a vision to transform outdoor recreation through improved representation and adventure opportunity for underserved groups.
As a black woman, Jireh encountered various barriers while navigating outdoor spaces and has dedicated her time to make a difference in the outdoor industry through Outside Mind's mission.
As a dedicated social impact leader, Jireh actively engages in initiatives and projects focused on Racial & Social Justice, Recreation Equity, Conservation Stewardship, Youth Development and Impactful Philanthropic Investments.
Jireh firmly believes that creating meaningful change requires courage, love for others, a willingness to learn from history, active listening and respect for one another across differences, building bridges to enable bold action for a better future for all.
Jireh is an award recipient of Local Black Excellence by North Shore Juneteenth Association and the City of Lynn, MA. She is also an MBA candidate at Boston University Questrom School of Business and specializing in Social Impact.
To connect with Jireh, please reach out via email at jireh@outsidemind.org or find her on Instagram (@jirehishaazi) and LinkedIn (Jireh F. Ishaazi)