Ambassadors

Diana Lee

@only1phoenixx

Photo Credit Lindsey Hill

What is your day job?

Librarian by day and sometimes by night as I look after public events 🙂 But I do a bunch of things because I have too many passions – we’ll get to that shortly 😉

Where is your home base?

Toronto/Tkaronto, Ontario, Canada, on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, the Wendat, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

How do you spend most of your free time?

Soaking in nature on the water or in the woods. Most importantly, I aim to disconnect and detox from devices. But if I’m in front of a computer or behind a camera during my free time, I’m either doing research for my next adventure (those librarian skills come in handy 😉 or documenting something fun or gear testing in my freelance job as a writer, and reporter for Get Out There Magazine.

What NEW outdoor sport/activity would you try?

Flying a helicopter – just imagine all the places you could fly to and the activities you could combine this with! While I am always saving + allocating money into my adventure fund (you never know what fun but $$$$ adventure is around the corner), I actually wish for more time in a day so that I can learn new skills and do more, so I wouldn’t have to choose between activities 🙂

What is your #1 Bucket List Item?

I don’t really have a ‘bucket list’ because I try to have an active plan for all the things I want to do 🙂 Adventures that are in the works include paddling and camping in the Yukon, Antarctica, Tanzania + South Africa, and to play mas at an international carnival like in Trinidad!

Who is your Outdoor Idol?

I don’t have a person in mind, but outdoorsy people who enjoy winter or playing in what most people consider to be ‘bad weather’, people who don’t need to be convinced to get up before sunrise for any kind of adventure, always inviting others to get out there, and play responsibly and safely, are the ones that inspire me. There are a couple of communities that inspire and motivate me such as the original Ryerson Adventure Society (from my undergrad days), Brown Girl Outdoor World, and the Lake Surfistas.

When/How did you discover the outdoors?

I was always drawn to nature and the outdoors for as far as I can remember (I still have this feeling today!) Growing up, I’d max out my library card borrowing books about wildlife and the environment, and I’d explore the local parks and ravines with a friend or two, or solo. My mum was always supportive of me being active, taking me to swim lessons and for leisure skating at the local community centre (thanks mum!) I remember how fun it was to try and learn something new, and that mindset, including the desire to get out there are still a huge part of who I am today.