4 years ago, I started a blog and eventual podcast called The Wild Life.
Last June, I started a nonprofit organization with the hope and intent of using the existing platform of The Wild Life to accelerate the work towards fulfilling the mission of inspiring hope of a green and just future for all through open access to the outdoors and helping to interrupt barriers of exclusion in STEM.
It’s after careful deliberation and reflection that I make this decision now.The nonprofit is currently undergoing a shift in title to The Open (Out)Doors Project and will be narrowing it’s focus on our local community where we will continue to host hikes, educational programs, and continue to develop our Binoculars For Young Birders Program, existing entirely separate from the podcast and The Wild Life.
Our greatest success as a nonprofit has been focused in our local community and we feel that if we are going to effectively pursue our mission in that capacity that this step will free you the necessary bandwidth to make focused impacts. Plus, the work will no longer be tied to or hindered by the production of a podcast. 100% of funds will be able to be used for the furtherment of the nonprofits programs.We feel we were getting in our own way and trying to combine two audiences at the detriment to both sides.
The Wild Life will continue on, as it has since 2017, with the same goal as always—with one significant change.The fact is that I’ve had to accept and reconcile the truth that it is simply unsustainable and unrealistic for myself to operate the nonprofit at such scale while also being a good father to two young children, teaching high school full-time, and creating content. Not to mention I am beginning a graduate program this fall. I can’t do it all on my own.
Because of current circumstances and a need to realign my priorities in accordance with my personal values, I’ve made the decision to scale back production which means that while the show and website will continue, it will not be in accordance with a hard release schedule. For the sake of my mental health, my other responsibilities, and the hopeful years long future of The Wild Life, this is the best, and only, course of action.Expect new content, expect new series, expect quality, and expect a future, but Please understand that there may be gaps in content as a consequence of my shift in focus to things more urgent in my own life.
My hope is to continue to have at least 2 episodes per month. After all, we are about to announce a new cohost and we have a pretty solid production plan in place with some very exciting stuff planned. Things just may take longer as I can only devote about 5 hours per week towards the show. In my dream world, the show would make enough that I could do this full time. We’ll see what the future holds.
For now, I am setting up a new website and Patreon for the nonprofit. This one will continue to support the podcast and website. If you joined after the formation of the podcast and want to end your patronage here, I totally understand. if you were a supporter before the formation of the nonprofit, I hope you stick around. Thank you all for understanding. Stay tuned.
