The Venture Out Project was initially established by Perry Cohen in 2014 with the aim of making outdoor activities more accessible and welcoming for the LGBTQ+ community. Early activities included camping trips and hiking excursions. The outdoors had always been a place where Perry found comfort, inspiration and joy. As he navigated his own transition, Perry wanted others to feel, even if just for a moment, grateful for their bodies and where they could take them. In 2014, Perry traded his corporate office for a backpack and a dream. He set out to merge his personal passion and professional aspirations by creating an outdoor adventure outfitter by and for queer people, now known as The Venture Out Project (TVOP). TVOP was founded with the intention of leading a few backpacking trips each year for queer and trans people. As of 2023, TVOP has grown to be a nationally recognized nonprofit supporting LGBTQ+ community building and challenge-based personal development outdoors, having led over 50 adventures for upwards of 500 LGBTQ+ participants from across the globe. Wilderness Inquiry is a national organization headquartered in the Twin Cities of Minnesota which, for 48 years, has been breaking down barriers to outdoor education and recreation. Founded on May 4th, 1978 upon the idea that shared outdoor experiences have the power to transform individuals and communities, access to the outdoors is at the core of our mission. Since our founding, we have directly connected more than 735,000 people to inclusive outdoor adventures and experiences, investing in the mental, physical, and emotional health of our community of participants.