Interviews & Media Coverage

nor // wbur here & now: deb haaland breaks barriers as 1st native american interior secretary (2021)

The confirmation this week of Deb Haaland as secretary of the interior is groundbreaking. Haaland is the first Native American to hold that position — one that has a major impact on the lives of Native Americans and the management of tribal lands across the U.S. Host Peter O'Dowd speaks with Len Necefer, assistant professor of American Indian Studies and Public Policy at the University of Arizona and founder of NativesOutdoors.

npr // wnyc studios: the takeaway (2021)

President Trump signed The Great American Outdoors Act into law earlier this month, a bipartisan piece of legislation, funding the maintenance of our national parks as well as the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

All this week, we’ll be talking about our national parks and public spaces. Later in the week, you’ll hear more about the Great American Outdoors Act and the future of conservation of precious natural places in the U.S. Today, though, we start at the beginning, when many of our national parks were created by kicking Native Americans off their own land. Tanzina recently sat down with Len Necefer, an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Arizona. He’s also the CEO and founder of Natives Outdoors.

looking sideways’ // patagonia type 2 (2020)

Type 2 is a podcast from Looking Sideways in association with Patagonia that explores the intersection between the outdoors, action sports and activism.

My guest this week is the great Len Necefer. Well, Dr Len Necefer to be precise. Len is a professor at the University in Arizona, CEO of Native Outdoors, a board member at the Honnold Foundation and American Alpine club . It’s a breadth of experience that has given him a very intriguing and insightful approach to activism - and an intersectional take on the issues we currently face. Len is of mixed Navajo and European heritage and his work is primarily focussed, as the bio for Native Outdoors puts it, on empowering native and indigenous communities for a sustainable world.

From speaking to Len I think that word bridge is important; he’s a consensus builder, somebody who is concerned with inclusivity and opening doors, rather than enforcing entrenched positions. For Len, humour is a tool and dogmatism, whatever your political leaning, is to be avoided. I mean just look at his singular Instagram account, through which he uses some frankly exemplary meme skills to explore issues around climate, identity and diversity in today’s outdoor world.

npr // kjzz: the show, made in arizona: nativesoutdoors (2020)

Len Necefer grew up on the Navajo Nation, and his childhood was shaped by the outdoors. It wasn’t far from Canyon de Chelly where he said he learned early to appreciate both the quiet of the outdoors — and the adventure. It was there that the seeds for his future love of rock-climbing were sewn. Now, Necefer is the CEO of outdoor clothing and media company NativesOutdoors. His work intersects indigenous people and natural resource policy. The Show spoke with Necefer to find out more.

mountain & prairie with ed roberson // len necefer - indigenous advocate (2019)

Conversations with innovators of the American West. Guests include athletes, artists, adventurers, writers, ranchers, conservationists, entrepreneurs, thought leaders—anyone who’s doing inspired work that contributes to the region’s evolving and complex cultural fabric. Through informal yet substantive interviews, conservationist Ed Roberson introduces you to these fascinating characters, giving you a better understanding of their careers, influences, and outlooks, as well as a deeper appreciation for life in the American West.

safety third // nature is a delicate fortune (2018)

Len Necefer grew up splitting family time between the Midwest and the Four Corners, between auto workers and Navajo faith healers. One side of his family taught him the importance of hard work. The other showed him the necessity of connection to the natural world. These two truths have guided Len’s life. When Len returned back to the Southwest to be closer to his passion, he noticed something in the outdoor community. We were good at connecting, but not always good at putting in the hard work to take care of the landscapes we cherish. He thinks we ought to approach our relationship with the natural world the same way we would our finances. It’s time to start saving for the long term.

the firn line // a conversation with len necefer (2018)

In the last installment of The Firn Line in 2018, we’ll get to know climber, educator and activist, Len Necefer.

Len holds a Ph.D in Engineering and Public Policy, and is founder of Natives Outdoors, an outdoor products company whose products serve to support indigenous people.

In our conversation, we discuss Len’s roots and identity as a Navajo, experiencing racism in college, and his love for climbing and the outdoors (among other things).