Black Media Influencers THINK OUTSIDE With Polaris
Photo Credit: Avory Allmand / Polaris
Celebrating love and sisterhood doesn’t always have to revolve around the typical flowers, dinners, and girls' nights. It's time to THINK OUTSIDE, and that's precisely what POLARIS envisioned for their first Galentine's Day off-roading experience on February 9th, 2024. This expedition aimed to showcase off-roading to a select group of diverse media trailblazers and celebrate friendship and womanhood through this thrilling sport. Since its establishment in 1954, Polaris Inc., the leader in powersports worldwide, has inspired people to discover the joy of the great outdoors by developing ground-breaking products and enriching experiences.
We embarked on a luxurious journey to Big Bear in a Mercedes Sprinter, where we connected and got to know each other. Once everyone had donned their Polaris riding gear, we headed to breakfast at Teddy Bear restaurant, filled up on fuel, and set out for our adventure in the desert. After another enjoyable ride in the Sprinter, it was time for an exhilarating experience on the Polaris RZRs, capturing Instagram-worthy photo ops in the sand dunes and creating unforgettable memories with new friends!
The Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) were cutting-edge vehicles, each outfitted with RIDE COMMAND, the first off-road mapping system in the country with more than a million miles of verified trails. As new riders, many of us were nervous about navigating the trails on our own, but with Polaris’s RIDE COMMAND, we never lost our way, thanks to its industry-leading GPS navigation.
RIDE COMMAND allowed us to navigate, stay in touch, and keep tabs on other riders during any adventure. Group Ride even employs a Follow the Leader mode to select a group leader, allowing everyone to follow their route and ride at their own pace. After a long day of riding, we had lunch in the wilderness and went back to our suite in Big Bear for dinner where we shared heartfelt stories and learned more about Polaris and their efforts to foster inclusivity in powersports and the outdoors.
When the trip concluded, a new sister circle left exuding pride and confidence after getting behind the wheel of an ORV and navigating the rugged terrain like pros. The shared experience of being first-time riders instantly inspired a connection among our group. There was also a sense of liberation, self-expression, and community resonating as each woman brought their unique style and aura to the trails, embraced by each media babe and her bestie. Overall, the most significant takeaway from our Galentine’s Day ride experience is that Powersports is inclusive, fun, and welcoming to all!
“We want diverse women to confidently ‘THINK OUTSIDE,’ - feeling safe and welcomed to do so by seeing their peers and counterparts engage in our activations. Our recent Galentine’s Day ride showcased Polaris’s dedication to diversifying Powersports. Going forward, we’re committed to elevating the visibility of black and brown women through additional ride opportunities and initiatives, while offering tangible support to their brands and endeavors in return.”
This trip shattered the stereotypes that Black women don’t like the outdoors and most importantly that women can’t get along, specifically black women, as we were all total strangers before meeting up in that Trader Joe’s parking lot at 4 am. We started as strangers and we left as sisters. There was no drama, competition, envy, jealousy, or malice in sight—just pure love, light, and divine connection. We traded the flowers for nature and the chocolate for mud, and I wouldn't want to celebrate Galentine’s Day any other way!
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Meet Sharmaine Johnson, Media Correspondent for 247 Live Culture!
Email: Sharmaine@247LCTV.com