Comedian Baratunde Thurston Travels From Oregon to Maine to Tell a Better Story of America

Comedian and writer Baratunde Thurston wants to tell a better story of us. The narrative around the United States is often one of fracture and discord. So in his PBS show, America Outdoors, he travels around the United States to better understand Americans' deep connections with nature—and how that tells a more positive story of the country. In this week's episode of Travel Tales by AFAR, we sit down with Baratunde to talk about season two, including:

• Where he traveled, including the swamps of Georgia, the rivers of New Mexico, and the snowy hills of Maine.
• What he learned about the United States and our current (and past) relationship with nature.
• The ways that Indigenous views of the land are more frequently being adopted in a positive way.
• How you can better understand the United States, through nature.

Don't miss these moments!

• 7:04: The way this season changed Baratunde
• 8:46: Where Baratunde's relationship with nature began
• 13:18: The most surprising moments of the season
• 24:43: The scariest moments in the season (including a petrifying tree climb)
• 35:31: His very own travel tale

From Baratunde, you'll learn about how to embrace the cold like a Mainiac, why the Suwannee River is so important to people in Georgia and Florida, the ways that individuals are finding creative ways to combat climate change, and so much more.

Resources

• Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
• Watch America Outdoors on PBS. 
• Listen to Baratunde’s podcast, How to Citizen.
• Read his comedic memoir, How to Be Black. 
• Inspired to get outdoors? Find some inspiration on our website.

Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

And a special thanks to our season four Travel Tales by AFAR sponsor, Avalon Waterways, who shares our belief in the transformative power of travel.