Forrest Parks is a passionate rock climber, mountaineer, outdoor enthusiast, and community advocate born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. His mission in life is to promote, encourage and celebrate diversity in the outdoors. Drawing from his background in film and photography, Forrest takes extreme joy in creating welcoming narratives that inspire People of Color to venture into and engage with wild spaces. He has worked alongside the American Alpine Club, Chicago Mountaineering Club, Sierra Club, Patagonia, NOLS, and Outdoor Research to help find ways to create equitable, inclusive, and welcoming environments within the outdoors and the outdoor industry. Forrest is the co-founder of Sending in Color, a collective of Chicago climbers of color. You can usually find him exploring urban abandoned buildings, climbing at Red River Gorge, or training to become an IFMGA guide in the Cordillera Blanca. Forrest most recently served as the NOLS Diversity and Inclusion Manager.

• Diversify Outdoors
• Forrest In The Forrest