The national monument, a gift from France in the 1880s, made him appreciate being an American. He also realized his love of being outdoors.
“For me, getting to travel was a mind opener in many ways,” Common added. “It has enhanced my creativity to go out and be able to meditate and be at peace and to enjoy some of the nature. I always told some of my friends, sometimes when you’re traveling, just looking at the mountains or looking at something beautiful, it’s influencing you.”
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The hip-hop legend encourages African Americans to take advantage of the parks and nature – whether for barbecues, exercising or overall exploration.
“Check out the parks that we have access to here [in Chicago] and then also, at some point, think about going to see other parks like Yellowstone and going to the Grand Canyon.”
A calendar of events taking place across the country to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial can be found at FindYourPark.com/Find.
Common Encourages African Americans To See The World & #FindYourPark was originally published on blackdoctor.org
