D&T(een): Wilderness Weekend with Islah LA

For enrollees and alumni of Islah Academy 13+ only

Adventure Score: 1

This event is sponsored in part by Street Tawa BBQ Halal Brisket Sandwiches

“As you walk look around, assess where you are, reflect on where you have been, and dream of where you are going. Every moment of the present contains the seeds of opportunity for change. Your life is an adventure. Live it fully.”

John Francis, the Planetwalker

Dust and Tribe is proud to partner with Islah LA for a weekend of wilderness exploration designed to revive, renew, and restore our faith in God through engagement with His creation.

Inspired and informed by Islah Academy’s insistence on experiential learning, Dust and Tribe has curated an adventure that will take our youth from the inner city of South Los Angeles to the coast of Santa Barbara and into the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest for three days and two nights of camping along the Santa Ynez River.

Day 1

We gather at Islah LA on Friday, March 18th where our shuttle and volunteers will transport participants to the tide pools of Devereux Beach in Isla Vista. We’ll explore and discuss life in the intertidal zone while reviewing the natural history of the local area before moving into the water for a “fish-eye” view from our paddleboards.

All equipment including wetsuits and flotation vests will be provided along with volunteer mentors to make sure everyone stays safe while having fun. And when it’s time to dry off, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach before boarding our shuttle and heading into the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest where we will make camp and have dinner along the banks of the Santa Ynez River.

Day 2

After a hot breakfast, we’ll set out into the surrounding countryside to explore the local environs. We’ll learn about native edible and medicinal plants and their uses by the indigenous Chumash. We’ll have lunch in the field before returning to camp.

The bold among us may want to take a nap before dinner and the sunset prayer because tonight we hike the forest under a full moon. This will be a night to remember as we pick our way through the silvery light and wonder- are we predator or prey?

Day 3

We wake to another hot breakfast and prepare to end our time together with a gratitude exercise to cement the learning that God Most High has allowed while invoking blessings upon all who worked to bring this vision to light. Once complete, we board our shuttle for the trip back to Islah LA.

This is a coed event that will be chaperoned by representatives from the Islah LA community along with the facilitators of Dust and Tribe and Muslim students from nearby UCSB.

Fees include all halal meals, all camping equipment, transportation to and from Islah LA, two WFR certified wilderness guides, paddleboards, wetsuits, personal flotation devices, lifeguards, and a cadre of volunteers and chaperones committed to hosting our young guests in accordance with the highest standards of Islamic etiquette.

There are only 5 female and 5 male spots available.

Questions? Send us a message through our Contact Page