Our Foundation is committed to creating equal access to wild Florida. During Black History Month, we are celebrating Florida’s Black leaders in outdoor recreation through this series. We think the myriad benefits of an outdoor life need to be experienced by all Americans.
Brandon Thompson, Watch the World Wake Up Ambassador
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Before he was an accomplished duck hunter and freshwater angler, Brandon Thompson had no one to show him the ropes. But something pulled him outdoors anyway.
“It was something in me that just gravitated toward nature and being outside,” said Brandon. “I was 7 or 8 when I first started fishing. It was nothing complicated, just simply putting a piece of bait on and trying to catch a fish.”
Today, Brandon is using his years of expertise to encourage communities of color and younger generations to experience all wild Florida has to offer. Alongside his best friend Odie, a 2-year-old chocolate lab who Brandon trained as a retrieving birddog, Brandon posts motivational and educational hunting and fishing content to his social media platforms.
To kick off the Fall 2022 hunting season, our Foundation and Brandon joined forces with a campaign to encourage access to wild Florida for all:
