For Lion James, growing up in West Philadelphia during the 1980s meant spending early mornings fishing on the Delaware Bay and filling coolers with flounder, weakfish and bluefish.

At home, the family froze what they wanted to keep. The rest went into plastic bags that were carried door to door for neighbors.

Years later, James turned those fish into kayaks. Through the Camden Educational Program, in partnership with the Upstream Alliance, he introduces children to the Delaware River and Cooper River Water Trail while managing the Cramer Hill Waterfront Park pond-paddling program.

The Upstream Alliance is a nonprofit conservation group that provides education about waterway conservation and offers on-the-water excursions.

“My father showed me and my brother at a very young age that something you love, something you’d be doing anyway, your passion, can be used to serve your community,” James said.

On Saturday mornings from Memorial Day through Labor Day, kayakers of all skill levels gather at the dock beside the 15-mile Cooper River Water Trail from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Participants receive a safety lesson from James and his team after paddles, kayaks and flotation devices are distributed.

James, who has been a kayak instructor since 2010, said he did not see much Black representation in outdoor sports growing up.

That hesitation is still prevalent today, and he can sense when participants arrive unsure whether outdoor recreation is “for people like them.”

His advice for people of color who are afraid to embrace outdoor sports is simple: “Do it scared.”

“If you’re scared and want to do something that does have a bit of danger, then seek to do it in a controlled environment with people who are looking out for your safety,” James added.

From a mental health standpoint, James stresses that the program takes place in a low-stress environment where there is no current or boat traffic.

“We have a lot of turtles, fish, bald eagles, and blue herons. Getting close to that, getting to experience that away from a screen, is very therapeutic and relaxing,” James explained.

James’ love of the outdoors isn’t limited to kayaking. He grew up hiking, fishing and hunting, which took him to rainforests, the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and the highlands of Texas. Now, he hopes the next generation can experience the same.

During on-the-water expeditions, he educates students from charter and public schools in Camden on how to test water quality, tag fish, identify river species and record their findings.

Nets and buckets are then dipped into the Delaware River as students from the Camden Educational Program gather around James, lowering their gear in anticipation of catching fish.

The Delaware and Cooper rivers both suffered from the stigma of being unfit for enjoyment because of industrial waste and pollution.

James and the Upstream Alliance have worked to reverse that stigma through education about preservation and support for restoration projects led by the Cooper River Water Trail and other government-assisted organizations.

He has cut back weeds and cleared debris and waste from the Cooper River through organized volunteer work related to the Cooper River Water Trail and programs affiliated with the Upstream Alliance. On the Delaware River, he points to the return of fish and other wildlife as signs that his team’s restoration efforts are working.

“A big part of everything I’ve done on the water, in the woods, and in nature revolves around conservation,” said James. We want to share this with the public, especially youth. That’s a key part of making these spaces safe and enjoyable.”

His efforts to make the outdoors safer and more welcoming have not gone unnoticed. In January, he was one of 11 recipients to receive the annual MLK Medal of Honor from Camden County government.

In a released statement, County Commissioner Jonathan Young said the individuals selected for the medal mirror the values Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood for.

“Through their dedication to serving their community, they have each made a meaningful difference and are helping make Camden County a better place for all,” added Young.

For James, seeing his father’s vision of feeding his tight-knit West Philadelphia community now comes full circle. He gets to feed the next generation with knowledge.

“My children’s friends now call me ‘unc.’ I’m like the uncle to a lot of the neighborhood kids,” James said. “My father was the neighborhood father.”