b'Q&A Conversationsfrom page 14 Black Folks Camp Too and watch uswork, because we are doing a lot of theshow you how to start a fire or show off work right now. We are meeting peopletheir RV.where they are. I think some of this is going to hap- Recently, we had a team of 25 peoplepen organically. Owners should also be head to Charlotte, N.C., a city with atelling everyone that they provide serv- large black population, and we talkedices to help people if they need it.with a ton of people about camping,You also have to have the pools, small RVing and the industry. What we foundstores, cabins, etc. You have amenities is that a lot of the individuals we spokein place that make the experience not with had been camping before, but theyfeelsofar-fetchedcomparedtothe stopped because they felt the industrythings they do at home. Then once peo- hadnt catered to them. plegetinvolvedinthoseparticular They are being told to go buy newcampgrounds,youllseemoregoing cars, but no one is telling them to go buytentcampingandwantingtocamp an RV. My group is doing that. We aremore at state and national parks, be- telling them to go buy an RV or at leastcause those parks offer less amenities Earl B. Hunter Jr. notes that park owners need to help minority groups change their culture stop by a dealership. Black Folks Campthen many private parks.so that camping becomes part of their lifestyles. Too is encouraging them to do the re-Youre not changing peoples minds; search and see what camping is about. youre changing their culture. It can be from groups like Go RVing and the Na- one of the things I continually say is that We want to show them that campingdifficult to go from A to Z. You have to tionalAssociationofRVParksand the industry needs to continue inviting can be inclusive and diverse, becausegetthemexcitedaboutgoingintoa Campgrounds?black folks and other minority groups oncetheygetaroundthatcampfireplace that is different and find ways to Hunter: I worked with Go RVing and into the industry.then they can start having conversa-ease them into the lifestyle.the RV Industry Association (RVIA) at The industry cant just show diversity tions with other people. That is whereWCM: From a national perspective, an event in Detroit, Mich., last year and in a magazine photo or on a billboard. they can begin to see that we all havewhat message would you like to hear I thought the event was amazing, but We are asking the industry to get behind things in common.WCMMARKETPLACEWOODALLSCM.com May 2020-37'