Self-Defense in the Outdoors: Nicole Snell

Nicole Snell a self-defense expert, the creator of Outdoor Defense, owner and CEO of Girls Fight Back, a solo adventurer, hike lead with Black Girls Trekkin’, and more.

Nicole’s Outdoor Defense series includes videos about subjects like: tools to address catcalling; the phrase, "I’m sorry"; safety while camping; and asking for help. By putting her two passions together—the outdoors and self defense—Nicole’s uniquely addressing a very real need for all people, but especially cis and trans women, nonbinary people and others that face gender discrimination. Through the stories we tell on She Explores, we’ve heard echoes of this need over the years: mothers passing down fear, people telling us where we should or shouldn’t go, silent warnings against taking on a trail or another new adventure solo. 

And yet, sometimes we bristle against speaking this need out loud. Maybe it’s because we don’t want to admit weakness or fulfill an expectation of what it means to inhabit the bodies we’re in. You’ll hear through our conversation with Nicole that to deny ourselves the tools that self-defense offers is counterproductive. Instead, Nicole sees self defense as empowerment: a means to open up more opportunities and access in the outdoors. 

In this episode, we’ll talk about why self-defense is important, hear some practical tips for outdoor lovers, and learn more about Nicole’s philosophy for developing the tools which will help facilitate a safer world for all.