Synopsis: Mardi Fuller has a rich relationship with nature that has evolved and deepened throughout her life. In the last 20 years she’s dedicated much of her time to exploring the landscape in the White Mountains (unfortunately coined “The Whites” by New Englanders) on Abenaki land. In that time Mardi summited all forty-eight 4,000 footers multiple times, often as the only Black person on the mountain. She has experienced great joy from communing with this landscape, but the overwhelmingly white hiking community that is so seeped in white supremacy and colonialism complicates her experiences. Recently, she has focused on creating more opportunities for Black folks to join her in appreciating this magnificent wilderness. Enjoying this land with her community has been a liberating balm that has strengthened her sense of identity as an outdoorswoman.

“Mardi & the Whites” is a peek into Mardi’s relationship with the White Mountains, the great outdoors, and the community that surrounds them; Above all, it’s a celebration of Black liberation in the wild.

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Paula Champagne is a Visual Storyteller specializing in film, documentary photography, illustration, and graphic design. For over 10 years, Paula lived in Boston developing visual narratives for non-profits and mission-driven organizations. She strengthened her connection with the outdoors in the Wobanadenok (White Mountains, New Hampshire)—but after falling in love with the lush foliage in the Pacific Northwest, Paula moved cross-country to Portland, Oregon.

Paula’s work communicates authentic human experiences. She seeks to capture the beauty in honest moments and to highlight stories that are traditionally unsung. Inspired by her own experiences in the outdoors, her most recent projects explore and honor the healing intersection of Blackness, nature, and rest.

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