Journey for a Cause

My name is Eddie Gill IV.  I am a twenty-year-old African American living in the state of Indiana.  I am a collegiate basketball player entering my third year studying environmental science.   I have been a lifelong fisherman, adventurer and outdoor enthusiast.  Given the current climate and state our country is in, I began to think of ways I can make a difference.  As I thought, I came to realize, much of the African American community is not involved in fishing and boating.  When I tell people I love to fish, or that I love to boat, I often get blank stares.  “Really?  That’s not very black of you!”, is a line I am told far too often.  I believe this to be wrong and know that this stigma can be changed.  I have decided to take a journey with two close friends in the summer of 2021 starting in the Ohio River in Indiana making my way to the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, and then traveling all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico as a way to challenge this stereotype and raise awareness for this issue, promoting the notion that the color of your skin has no bearing on what you love to do.  I hope to break down barriers and make an impact on both young and old, black and white, rich and poor.  This adventure will be well documented and shared throughout all social media platforms in order to inspire people near and far.   A portion of proceeds will be donated to non profits working to promote equality and justice for all.  The remaining funds will be used to make this journey possible.  I am extremely grateful for any and all contributions.  Please share with friends and family, anything helps.