Championing Sustainability for the Culture.

At Start Where You Are, we’re on a mission to inspire connection—to the environment, our communities, and each other. As a mission-driven social enterprise, we center Black and historically underrepresented voices while championing sustainability, environmental justice, and outdoor exploration.

We blend cultural celebration with intentional action, creating experiences and resources that make it easier (and more fun!) to live sustainably, embrace nature, and reinvest in our communities.

Black-Led. Community-Focused. Future-Driven.

This isn’t just a business—it’s a movement. We’re here to challenge systems of exclusion and create pathways for Black and POC individuals and businesses to thrive. Sustainability and environmental justice aren’t luxuries—they’re birthrights.

While our work celebrates Black culture in these spaces, we welcome everyone to join us in honoring the resilience, joy, and history that make the fight for equity so powerful. Diversity strengthens us, and by uplifting underrepresented voices, we create a future where everyone benefits.

No matter your background, you belong here—because the outdoors are better, together!

Our Mission

To increase access, representation, and economic empowerment in outdoor recreation and sustainability by cultivating environmental engagement, education, and business development within underrepresented communities.

Our Long-Term Vision

We’re building a future where historically excluded communities feel empowered, welcomed, and represented in outdoor spaces and sustainable industries, leading to long-term environmental equity and economic opportunity. With every step forward, we strive to uplift, empower, and redefine what it means to grow—together.

Our Reinvestment Promise

Start Where You Are is an LLC with a grassroots heart, deeply rooted in community needs and collaboration. As we grow, we are committed to reinvesting a portion of our profits into supporting local changemakers and strengthening the spaces and communities that matter most.

About the Founder

Hi, I’m Sierra! I’m a passionate advocate for environmental justice, sustainability, and building stronger, more connected communities. As the founder of Start Where You Are, LLC, I’ve poured my heart into creating programs that uplift BIPOC communities, connect people to nature, and build spaces where everyone feels seen, valued, and empowered.

This work is deeply personal to me. I know what it feels like to walk into spaces where you don’t see anyone who looks like you or where you don’t feel welcome. That’s why I’ve made it my mission to create something different—initiatives that reflect who we are, celebrate our culture, and bring people together in ways that feel meaningful and real.

  • My Journey

    My passion for sustainable agriculture began during my schooling, where I learned not only how to grow food but how to cultivate change. Participating in Agraria’s Regenerative Farming Program for BIPOC deepened my appreciation for cross-generational learning and connection, and it became a cornerstone of my work.

    From there, I worked with Brick Gardens, educating youth on sustainable agriculture, and spent over four years with Groundwork Ohio River Valley, where I designed and implemented some of the nation’s most impactful green youth workforce development programs for BIPOC youth.

    During this time, I was fortunate to collaborate with incredible organizations and city leaders across Cincinnati and Ohio, including the Black Food and Farming Network, Office of Environment and Sustainability, USDA, Cincinnati City Council, Green Umbrella, The Nature Conservancy, Cincinnati Parks, Great Parks of Hamilton County, Civic Garden Center, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, the National Park Service, and more. These relationships allowed me to bridge the gap between policy, environmental programming, and meaningful community impact.

    I’m excited to bring these connections and resources into the work we’ll do together.

  • The outdoors is more than just a place for physical activity—it’s a space for spiritual healing, connection, and inspiration. Nature holds the power to ground us, unite us, and ignite change in ways nothing else can. My vision is to bridge the generational gap by bringing together elders, peers, and youth, creating an intergenerational movement rooted in environmental justice, resilience, and cultural pride.

    History is at the core of everything I do. By honoring the wisdom of our elders and pairing it with the aspirations of future generations, we can build a movement that is both deeply rooted and forward-looking. Black and BIPOC communities must lead this work, not just because we’ve been most affected by climate change and systemic inequities, but because our voices and leadership are essential to creating real, lasting change.

    Through my work, I strive to empower Black small business owners, everyday people, and the next generation to see the outdoors as a space for leadership, creativity, and community building. Together, we have the opportunity to rewrite the narrative, reclaim our connection to nature, and lead sustainability efforts that center our culture, experiences, and needs.