Black QTs Camp will host a kayak based cleanup on the Anacostia River for our collective members in partnership with The Anacostia Riverkeepers and AKWA Tribe to promote environmental stewardship and community care.

This project will bring 20 members of the Black QTs Camp collective together for a guided kayak cleanup along the Anacostia River. In collaboration with Anacostia Riverkeepers, participants will paddle the river while collecting litter and debris, learning about the local watershed, and building relationships with one another and the Land. This experience will include a kayaking skill share led by Jack from AKWA Tribe, a safety training, supplies and gear, and space for reflection on our role as caretakers of our shared environment.

This project is awesome because it merges environmental stewardship with joy and belonging for Black queer and trans community members who are often excluded from outdoor recreation and conservation spaces. It creates a rare opportunity for participants to feel safe, celebrated, and connected while actively caring for the Earth.

The Anacostia River is a vital natural resource for Washington, D.C., yet it has long faced pollution and often neglect. This project will directly improve the river’s health by removing waste from its waters while cultivating new environmental stewards from communities who are deeply underrepresented in local sustainability efforts. By engaging Black queer and trans residents as active caretakers of the Anacostia, we are building a more inclusive, equitable, and environmentally resilient city for everyone.