Executive Director Stepping down: Lydia’s Departure

By Jimmy Flatt, Co-Founder and Interim Executive Director

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the resignation of Lydia Parker, a founder and for the last four and a half years the Executive Director of Hunters of Color. I can say with confidence that without Lydia, Hunters of Color would not exist; rather it would still be a nagging complaint I had about not feeling or seeing myself or others like me represented in the hunting space. You may have attended one of Lydia’s keynote speeches where you could hear her saying:  “Complaining about a problem without action to address the problem gets no one anywhere.”  You see, Lydia is a person of action and she kept hearing Thomas Tyner and I talking about the problem Hunters of Color is actively trying to address.

Now, five years later I cannot believe where Lydia’s prevalence for action has taken us. I have been present when Lydia explains the concept of Hunters of Color to people who may not have agreed with the mission, and I have also been present when she received standing ovations from thousands of people for saying the same exact things. I have witnessed mentees become mentors because of a mission/purpose that Lydia set in motion years ago. I have seen our programs go from a college town in Oregon to now having active communities in 14 states. 

Hunters of Color now sits prominently in the outdoor space as a force for good, creating bridges to cultural traditions and lifeways for those who have been disconnected from hunting and the land.  “It’s sad to see Lydia go, but I also couldn't be prouder. We started our hunting journeys around the same time, and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support, encouragement, and friendship.” said incumbent board president Crystal Egli. Lydia found a deep connection to the land, her ancestors and personal joy while out hunting and wanted that privilege to be afforded by others in our communities, and she made that a reality through her efforts with Hunters of Color. 

With Lydia stepping away from the day to day of Hunters of Color to pursue a new career, I have been appointed the Interim Executive Director until the Board of Directors can appoint a successor. I will miss working with Lydia every day and being able to celebrate the wins that come with the mission of Hunters of Color. I look forward to sharing hunt camp with her in the future and to continue the work that she initiated back when we were still in college. 

Lydia will always be the first mentee, founder and champion of Hunters of Color. She will go on to accomplish many great things in her life and I cannot wait to see who’s lives she will impact for the better in her next endeavors. 

To hear why Lydia is leaving please use the following link. For those who read Lydia’s final thoughts as Executive Director for Hunters of Color, consider placing yourself in her shoes for a moment and reflect on how you might have reacted to all the accounts.