Together Outdoors Allies Earn Recognition for Outdoor Recreation Equity Efforts

Two long-time supporters of Together Outdoors, Jil Littlejohn Bostick and James Edward Mills, were recently honored for their outdoor diversity and inclusion work.

Jil, Vice President of Corporate Responsibility at Winnebago Industries and a member of TO’s Divisional Board, has been named one of 50 Black Leaders to Know in the Twin Cities by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. James, a veteran outdoor recreation professional and influential author, is the 2024 recipient of the American Alpine Society’s H. Adams Carter Literary Award.  

As the VP of Corporate Responsibility & Inclusion and the Executive Director of Foundation at Winnebago Industries, Jil leads the strategic vision and execution of the company's DEI, sustainability and philanthropy initiatives. This latest shout-out recognizes Jil’s 15-plus years as an influential, bilingual DEI leader with a track record of success in growing diverse and inclusive workforces and translating best practices in DEI into readily consumable resources and programs aligned to business needs.

James has worked in the outdoor industry since 1989 as a guide, outfitter, sales rep, writer, and photographer. He founded and operates The Joy Trip Project, a news gathering and reporting organization covering the outdoor recreation industry's business, art and culture. 

James’ extensive body of writing includes the influential book The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors. In announcing this award, the Alpine Society said, “It's hard to overstate the importance of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors in shaping the discourse around justice and equity in mountaineering since its publication in 2014.”