Crawford Prize

Robert W. Crawford Achievement Prize

2024 Prize Recipient

Atiya Wells

As a pediatric nurse, Atiya Wells became aware of the detrimental effects that an unhealthy lifestyle could have on her patients. Many were suffering from diet-related illnesses that could have been avoided through better nutrition and more physical activity. This sparked an interest in Wells to learn how to help educate her patients about making healthier choices and introducing more fruit and vegetables into their diet.

At the same time, Wells was developing her own connection to the outdoors and nature. She began organizing meet ups at local parks in her Baltimore neighborhood for her young family to connect with other preschool-aged kids and their families. “People started asking me questions about the plants and trees, so I figured if I’m going to be leading them, I probably should know the answers,” said Wells.

Thus began Wells’ deep exploration into the natural world. “I took every environmental and nature-related class that I had time and could afford to attend. And I read a lot of books—I wanted to learn everything,” said Wells. With passionate determination, Wells quickly evolved into a budding naturalist.

“When my daughter went to kindergarten, I developed a program to take her school’s kindergarten classes outside. We were doing lessons on plant identification and a little foraging, but it really was just about them being outside to play and learn while they were playing,” said Wells. This program was the early beginning of Backyard Basecamp, which Wells founded in 2019 to provide culturally relevant urban environmental education and to connect more families in northeast Baltimore, especially those of color, to local outdoor spaces.

“I was envisioning the life I wanted to live and how I wanted to engage with my neighbors and community. The name Backyard Basecamp came to me because I wanted people to reconnect to the land in their own backyards,” said Wells. For those who didn’t have a backyard, Google Maps helped Wells find one. Looking for a place to sit and observe nearby nature every day (per a naturalist program assignment), Wells pulled up Google Maps and noticed a green space a few blocks from her home.

There Wells found an unmarked and overgrown seven-acre city park and three-acre vacant lot that she turned into the community’s basecamp—BLISS Meadows. Today BLISS Meadows is a 10-acre land-reclamation project featuring two ponds; a newly renovated farm house; goats, chickens, and bees; a farm with produce and medicinal herb gardens; an orchard with fruit and nut trees; a pollinator meadow; and a forest full of nature trails, meditation spots and natural play spaces.

The work that Wells and Backyard Basecamp does at BLISS Meadows is at the intersection of environmental and food justice. It’s especially needed, in food deserts like Wells’ neighborhood, where grocery options are limited. Backyard Basecamp creates over 20,000 pounds of produce annually that is distributed to the community. “I remember one of the first things that I learned in my classes was that all parts of the dandelion are edible,” said Wells. “There are so many edible and medicinal plants in nature—nobody should be hungry, and nobody should be sick.”

BLISS Meadows provides a space for people of color to feel safe in nature and learn about the outdoors and the environment. While attending classes and workshops, Wells often noticed that she was the only person of color in the room. She researched the relationship of people of color to the outdoors and learned that ancestral wounding and historical trauma contribute to the lack of diversity in nature-based activities. “I wanted to create a safe space for Black and brown people to reconnect to the land so that when they go into predominantly white spaces in the outdoors, they already have a sense of knowing that they too belong outside,” said Wells.

One way Backyard Basecamp accomplishes this is through intergenerational programming that provides opportunities for whole families to participate in outside activities together. “Initially we were focused on getting kids outside, but then we wanted to create programs where families could be together and share in those activities and more deeply engage in nature together,” said Wells. Backyard Basecamp’s urban farming, nature walks, and health and wellness programs are offered to all ages. Backyard Basecamp’s suite of environmental education programs includes a six-week nature-based summer camp for children, ages 3-13, and an environmental workforce development program that introduces youth of color, ages 16-24, to green careers.

Wells is a true force of nature herself—unstoppable and deeply rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the chance to thrive outside. She has turned her vision into reality, creating initiatives that center nature in her neighborhood fostering a deeper connection to the environment for children and their families, and helping to build healthier, more resilient communities. In recognition of her leadership and the lasting changes she is making in her Baltimore community, the National Recreation Foundation awarded Atiya Wells the 2024 Robert W. Crawford Achievement Prize.

“When I found out that I won the Crawford Prize, I was surprised. It’s heartwarming to know that the impact that we have on our local community is being seen and heard across the country,” said Wells. “We just turned five. But we really hit the ground running and have been charging forward to keep this important work at the forefront—ensuring that everyone in our community has access to nature and to food.”

To learn more about Backyard Basecamp, visit backyardbasecamp.org.

Images courtesy of Backyard Basecamp.

The Crawford Prize

Presented annually since 2002, the purpose of the prize is to recognize a living person who has dedicated him or herself to enhancing recreation opportunities for youth, making it possible for more young Americans to live healthy, participatory lives, thus reinforcing the work of the Foundation. Each year, the prize is awarded to that person, whether professional or volunteer, who has made an extraordinary contribution in advancing recreation programs for youth from disadvantaged circumstances.

The prize consists of a $50,000 cash award which the prize winner may direct to an organization providing programming aligned with the Foundation's mission. The individual members of the Foundation's Board of Trustees may make nominations. The award is presented at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Robert W. Crawford

For 60 years, Robert W. Crawford served others through his role as Commissioner of Recreation in Philadelphia and as Executive Director of the National Recreation Foundation. As the Commissioner of Recreation, Mr. Crawford established a national model for local government's provision of recreational services for all citizens. His creativity and innovative ideas won him international recognition. He also played an important role in the development and growth of the National Recreation Foundation during his time as its Executive Director. Mr. Crawford personified those qualities of leadership and commitment that the Foundation seeks to foster, which is why this Achievement Prize was named in his honor.

Video

Watch this video to learn about the life and legacy of Robert W. Crawford.

Past Prize Winners