“Comfort” and “camping” are words that don’t always go together: For many people, sleeping on the ground or eating rehydrated food are worthy sacrifices to enjoy the experience of waking up in the woods. For others, however, discomfort comes from feeling unwelcome at the campsite, or even unsafe.
Black campers, for example, are less likely to seek overnight stays in nature when they don’t see others who look like themselves. According to the 2021 North American Camping Report, sponsored by Kampgrounds of America (KOA), only 12% of camping households in the United States that year were Black. While this marks a notable increase from 6% in 2012, it highlights a persistent disparity, as Black campers are far less likely than white campers to find others in camping spaces who share their identity and experiences. Reasons for this disparity include a history of racist legislation barring people of color from U.S. public lands; the need for costly equipment that can be hard for folks from marginalized communities to attain; and lack of access to nearby green space or transportation to state and national parks.
This is exactly what inspired self-proclaimed “RV girl” Keva Niver to open Boheme Retreats with her husband, Rudel Felicien. The couple, who started taking longer RV road trips during COVID-19, loved the time they spent in nature, but had a harder experience pulling into campgrounds.
“After every trip, we would look at each other and be like, ‘Did you see anyone else that looked like us?’” Niver says. “And it was always, ‘No.’ That was really the catalyst for us.” After posting pictures of their journeys on Instagram, Niver says friends and acquaintances started reaching out with questions, even asking to borrow the family’s RV. Niver realized that other campers of color (or camping-curious folks) would likely spend more time outside if they had a welcoming, safe place to do it.
That dream of an oasis of inclusion and accessibility became Boheme Retreats in 2022. This Catskills, New York, glamping site comprises beautifully restored and outfitted vintage campers, all designed as safe, peaceful and enriching getaways especially for new outdoorspeople, folks from historically marginalized communities and their allies.
Niver’s urban planning, design and renovation background helped inform Boheme’s every detail, from the campers’ warm and elegant contemporary interiors (softly glowing light from pendant lamps, framed art, colorful accent furniture) to the inviting community atmosphere that surrounds the site. She believes that removing some of the more intimidating aspects of camping—which many see as barriers to getting outside in the first place—can help more people reconnect with the healing and relaxing powers of fresh air, sunshine and birdsong.
“One of the big things that I noticed is that a lot of people are interested in camping, but a lot of people don’t want to sleep on the ground. And then it’s, ‘Oh, I need a tent.’ ‘I don’t’ know how to make a fire.’ So, we’re able to set up an experience for people where they can just bring themselves. They can show up not knowing how to make a fire and there’s someone there to help them,” Niver says. “When you get rid of some of those barriers, people are more likely to give it a try. And then they’ve done it, they feel empowered, so maybe they will try a tent the next time. But it just opens the doors for them to have that first good experience.”
Additionally, Boheme Retreats offers folks the opportunity to experience a welcoming, inclusive outdoor community—often for the first time. “Every time I would travel to these RV parks, not only was there no one who looked like me, but there were no owners that looked like me,” Niver says. “Something I’ve heard from a lot of people who come to stay is that they know that when they show up, at least there’s going to be one person there, you know? It makes a huge difference in creating spaces that feel more welcoming.”
In 2023, Niver joined a cohort of 18 founders to participate in the REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures Embark program. Embark is a program designed in partnership with Founded Outdoors to provide community, guidance and grant money for new and aspiring entrepreneurs from Black, Indigenous, Latina/o/x, and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. While founders of color represent only around 1% of entrepreneurs in the outdoor industry today, visionaries like Niver are ready to change that. Supporting innovative ideas like hers with mentorship, infrastructure, customer connections and capital investments is one way to ensure that, going forward, there will be wider representation in the outdoor industry.
The outdoors is for everyone: By creating space for founders of color to have the opportunity to learn, grow and network, REI Co-op believes that the outdoor industry can be for everyone too.
“I got in the Embark program after my first season doing Boheme, and it really came at such a good time. Starting a business is hard, and when you feel like you’re doing it by yourself, it’s even harder,” Niver says. “For me, I felt like I had people behind me. It was a three-month program with other entrepreneurs, most of us just starting out, and it was a place to learn together and have people to vent all your struggles with.” Niver says she found—and has maintained—a community of other founders from the program who support each other through the early stages of their businesses’ growth.
While Niver and Felicien originally thought they’d buy property and establish Boheme Retreats as a new campground, they seek to have more impact—and further reach—by partnering with existing camps, designating a particular area for Boheme’s campers. Their first location is within Covered Bridge Campsite in Livingston Manor, New York, about two-and-a-half hours north of New York City. They hope to expand into more locations in coming years. This summer, Boheme Retreats is offering the first Retrofolk Adult Summer Camp Experience. This five-day, four-night program features three daily meals (with lunch and dinner wine pairings); a variety of activities including creative workshops and fitness sessions; guided off-site adventures in the Catskills; sauna and massage options; and more.
Learn more and book your stay at bohemeretreats.com.
The post Founder Spotlight: Keva Niver, Boheme Retreats appeared first on Uncommon Path – An REI Co-op Publication.
