3 Asian Women Backpackers You Should Be Following on TikTok
If you’re a Woman of Color who enjoys spending time outdoors, it can sometimes feel like you’re “the only one” on the trail, crag or put-in. In the United States and Canada, minorities have historically been excluded from outdoor spaces. However, more and more people are looking to change that using their influence on- and off-line. The following Asian women backpackers are using TikTok to inspire others to get outside. Looking for great content to help you get off your phone and on the trail? They’ve got you covered!
Isabel Cautivo
Photo credit: Isabel Cautivo
Filipino-American Isabel Cautivo wasn’t always a backpacker, so when a community college camping course showed her the ropes, her interest was piqued. “[…] That whole class was minorities just learning how to be outside, which is really awesome,” said Isabel.
Once she started going solo, she found that being outside centered her, and that nature offered refuge.
“Nowadays, it’s really easy to be bombarded with so much information, so getting outside and detaching from my phone helps me feel very grounded and empowered.”
At the same time, the outdoor content she creates is empowering others to get outside. Her TikToks and Instagram Reels are building a community that includes first-time and experienced hikers. The soft spoken content creator has a message that’s loud and clear: Nature is for everyone.
Over the past year, she met more people who like to go hiking and backpacking, taking advantage of the California landscape. Isabel notes that while most people she comes across are interested in spending time in Nature, that is not always possible.
“The big hikes that are shown online, like Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, can be cost-prohibitive for many,” Isabel added. “Additionally, there are few places to learn how to safely hike for beginners if they don’t know where to look.”
In the past, Isabel completed an internship with Justice Outside, an organization aimed at advancing racial justice and equity in the outdoors. Now, as a content creator, she’s giving her followers a first-hand look into her adventures, exposing them to places they may have never considered. Many of Isabel’s followers are also Filipino, so they find inspiration through her journeys. She often directs them to resources like Justice Outside while sharing her own experiences.
Even though her followers may have to overcome obstacles to access big hikes and national parks, Isabel is trying to change the narrative on ‘getting outdoors.’ Her belief is that “Nature is literally anywhere, so you don’t need to go far to be someplace nice […] I feel like people should start at their local parks and just understand how much their bodies can handle, how to use their equipment, how to be safe outside, and how to respect the outdoors.”
That includes starting small and building confidence and knowledge. She notes that being the only Person of Color on the trails is intimidating, but that should not stop anyone.
Ramnik Kaur
Photo credit: Ramnik Kaur
Hailing from a small town in northern Alberta, university student Ramnik Kaur wanted to be outside from a young age.
“I remember begging my parents to take me […] I still knew that one day when I was older, I would do all the crazy things I saw in NatGeo and other adventure shows and books,” said Ramnik.
After she and her family went camping for the first time, she continued to engage with the outdoors. These days, that involves creating TikToks and reels of alpine lakes, mountains and close-ups of her red husky Kheara. Ramnik talks about accessibility and spirituality—two things that influence the way she experiences Nature.
Due to her background, her relationship with the outdoors has evolved. As a practicing Sikh, Ramnik believes in the inherent equality of all life. This encourages her to respect the outdoors and its inhabitants the way she respects other humans.
“When I am in nature I like to believe that everything can hear me, I was meant to meet these souls, to come to say hello, and that we are connected from another life…” she added.
To aid others on their outdoor journeys, Ramnik started Kaurs Adventure Club, a global group dedicated to creating a safe outdoor learning space for Sikh women. Kaur is the surname adopted by many Sikh women as a symbol of equality. It also symbolizes the rejection of caste discrimination. As a visible minority, Ramnik sometimes finds it overwhelming to be the only person who looks like her on the trail. Kaurs Adventure Club helps reduce those barriers for women who share her experience.
“I am a strong advocate for exclusive safe spaces […] dedicated to connecting through shared barriers, struggles, and emotions,” said Ramnik, who also believes in empowering minority groups to take up space by offering cheerleading and lots of support.
“I have been in spaces where there are all different kinds of people, and the goal is truly to embrace that while learning from each other,” said Ramnik. “I have been in exclusive spaces where it feels so safe knowing that you can open up, that the other person would relate to your experiences, and wouldn't judge your questions.” For Ramnik, exclusive spaces, or safe spaces, are necessary for people from marginalized backgrounds to feel empowered to access the outdoors where few people look like them or share their experiences.
By telling her stories via her platforms, hosting events, and answering questions, Ramnik hopes to inspire more women of color to explore nature—including other South Asian women.
Dawn Park
Photo courtesy of Dawn Park
For Dawn Park, some of her fondest childhood memories were walks in the forest with her grandparents, or “forest bathing.” That connection made her feel safe and secure outdoors from a young age. After growing up between Vancouver and Seoul, recalling those childhood memories inspired her to get back outdoors herself.
“The curiosity of what I could experience and find and witness is what compelled me to really explore,” said Dawn. At some point, she began sharing her experiences online. At times, Dawn has found it difficult to find people to join her, but she does not let that deter her.
“I have learned to receive and accept no, find a backup plan, go alone or just accept that on that day, the mountains aren’t calling,” she added She has chronicled her experience in TikToks that demonstrate vulnerability and a desire for community. That includes sharing beginner-friendly content to help reduce the initial anxiety others may feel in getting started outdoors.
Dawn recognizes that lack of transportation, and access to funds are a few of the barriers that keep many POC from safely engaging outdoors, so she focuses on sharing as much as she can through her platforms.
She started posting online because she wanted to show others what was possible. If she could get her bearings outdoors, anyone could. Dawn has curated a space online for people to learn, and she serves as a helpful aid to anyone who comes across her posts. Since everyone has to start somewhere, she suggests going for it the best you can.
“Get outside with whatever means you have, start small,” said Dawn who recommends focusing on the basics like finding a carpool or transit, bringing water and comfortable shoes. “Do your research, stay safe and take the 10 essentials, make friends outdoors, document your journey and share what you learn, support other BIPOC so that they can do the same!” she added.
But did you know, coast-to-coast railway travel was made possible by the labor of thousands of Chinese immigrants? At the height of the construction, 80-90% of the railroad workforce was Chinese.