Join us for an exploration of Kiawah Island with certified interpretive guides Kayla Blanchard and Erica Veal. Kayla is a graduate student in Public History at the College of Charleston with experience in both personal and non-personal interpretation. She has contributed to the Lowcountry Digital History Initiative, McLeod Plantation Historic Site, and previously served as an interpreter at Magnolia Plantation. Erica has been leading tours around Charleston County for 18 years, is a certified interpretive trainer, an at large board member for the National Association for Interpretation and the founder of the Black and Brown Interpreters Network.

During our tour we will explore Beachwalker County Park, the only public beach access on Kiawah. We'll discuss the island's significance to both African descended and Indigenous American people in the South Carolina Lowcountry. We will also explore Captain Sam's Spit, a unique wildlife sanctuary on the southern end of Kiawah, which has been under threat by developers for 20 years and, if we're lucky, we may see strand feeding dolphins!

Bring your gloves, buckets and litter pickers so we can also pick up trash during our walk to help preserve this important habit for nesting sea turtles, shore birds and more! Limited cleaning supplies will be provided by Beachwalker Park Staff.

Lineup:

11am - 11:30am: Check in and announcements at Beachwalker Park (meeting in parking lot facing river)

11:30am - 1:30pm: Kiawah Island Exploration and Clean Up with Kayla Blanchard and Erica Veal

 **Please dress comfortably for the outdoors. We will be standing and walking approximately 1-3 miles. Sunscreen, water bottles, bug spray and binoculars are all encouraged. These meetups are appropriate for ages 16 and up.

Spaces are limited. There are no plus ones. Everyone must register individually. 

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The Black and Brown Interpreters Network™ is a group of natural and cultural history interpreters and tour guides based in the South Carolina Lowcountry and beyond who are dedicated to education, professional development and service in the field of heritage interpretation. 

We meet monthly to learn from our fellow Black and Brown Interpreters and tour guides; network, share opportunities for continuing education and scholarships, explore local history and more.

Our meetups are open to the community of Black and Brown people who identify as cultural/historical and natural history interpreters, tour guides and tour company owners; and/or Black and Brown people who have completed or plan to complete the National Association for Interpretation's Certified Interpretive Guide training course.

Remember "only we can tell our stories!"