May 9, 2012—The Department of Parks, Recreation, & Tourism at the University of Utah will examine the links between healthy people and a healthy environment in a symposium designed to improve thinking, research and practical applications related to these topics.

The symposium titled “Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Working for Social and Environmental Justice through Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Leisure” is hosted by the University of Utah’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. It will be held May 17-19 in the University Guest House and Ballroom.

The purpose is to examine the ties between social and environmental justice in the context of parks, recreation, and leisure services and studies.

Mindful that the environment and human health are inextricably linked, yet knowing that social scientists are more likely to study human crises rather than environmental ones, the symposium aims to bring together like-minded people with the goal of moving people to action to work toward justice for those left out of healthy outdoor activity.

Speakers will explore topics such as race and gender inequalities, inclusive recreation, homelessness, green space, tourism, feminism, ethics, advocacy, and pedagogy. Keynote speakers include Sharon Washington of the National Writing Project in Berkeley, California and Tom Goodale, professor emeritus of George Mason University and co-author of several leisure studies book. Evening entertainment will include Grammy award winning flutist Rhonda Larson and Lee Stetson, known for his portrayals of John Muir.

The gathering is an offshoot of a book by the same name and published in 2011. The more than 20 presentations will be edited into a book to be published by Sagamore Publishing in 2013.