Michigan’s firearm deer hunting season officially opened on Friday, meaning thousands of enthusiasts from around the state and beyond are preparing to take part in the popular tradition — including our executive producer David Leins, who is in northern Michigan doing just that!

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For some, hunting is more than just a hobby. It’s a way of life — a way to feed their families. Others simply hunt deer for sport. But there are many Michiganders who’ve had little to no exposure to hunting, and one local organization is working to make it more diverse.

Antonio Cosme is a co-founder of “Black to the Land Coalition,” a nonprofit working to build back the connections between people of color and the natural world. Cosme joined The Metro along with avid hunter Andrea Di Cresce, who serves as global kids program coordinator for Black to the Land.

The Coalition offers hunting safety courses and they’ll be hosting a “hunters of color” network gathering next week, Cosme said.

“We just want to create a network, create some support opportunities,” Cosme said. “We’re really interested in helping urban hunters get access to private land. That’s something that we are particularly interested in because that is gonna be your best opportunity to hunt deer.”

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

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