Irie to Aurora

Sustainable Nomadic Living

Learn how to live your best VANLIFE
with the least impact on Mama Earth

Hi there! We’re Dustin and Noami

For a long time we felt like we were living a life that wasn’t our own – chasing after someone else’s idea of success and happiness, consuming too much and not living enough. So we made a radical shift. We downsized our possessions and set out to pursue a life of simplicity & travel. We’re eco-vanlifers & digital nomads, living on the road since 2016. We’re here to share with you everything we’ve learned along the way.

What's inside

Digital Nomadism

Dreaming of traveling the world, but still need to pay the bills? Our Digital Nomad Series will give you the tips, advice, inspiration and resources to help you build a sustainable income on the road.

Recent Posts

DIGITAL NOMADISM 101:
A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BECOMING AN OVERLAND DIGITAL NOMAD

July 31, 2020 No Comments

Most, if not all articles on digital nomadism focus on the international traveler (globetrotter). Though what we’ve shared here can be applied to ALL manner

11 Tips for a Truly Sustainable Camping Season

July 24, 2020 No Comments

Eco-Friendly Habits For the Outdoors Tis the season. Spring is upon us and the outdoors are calling. If you’re anything like us, camping is your

21 Tips For A Sustainable Vanlife

July 14, 2020 No Comments

1. Aim for Zero Waste: This should be a priority for every vanlifer, for obvious reasons. Aiming for zero waste helps maximize space and reduce

5 Minimalist Habits I Learned Living In A Van

July 10, 2020 No Comments

It’s been over 4 years since Dustin and I sold most of our possessions and moved into our ‘85 Westy. We often laugh about being

9 Simple Ways to Reduce Food Waste & Save Money

June 26, 2020 No Comments

Food waste is a topic we don’t talk about nearly enough, but it’s a topic that hits home for me. I grew up in a

How To Reduce Amazon Packaging and Live Frustration-Free

June 24, 2020 No Comments

There are many good arguments for boycotting Amazon, but let’s be honest, with over 3 million active users, they’re not going anywhere. And truth is,

Follow our journey on instagram @irietoaurora

KEEPING WILD SPACES WILD IS SEXY Y’ALL #Pacifico

KEEPING WILD SPACES WILD IS SEXY Y’ALL #PacificoPartner
That’s why we’re excited to support @PacificoBeer on their partnership with @ConservationAlliance. #For21+
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My love for the outdoors started pretty early. Growing up in a rain forest on the island of Trinidad, it was all I knew. I rediscovered that love about 10 years ago when I took my first backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail. That was it. That was when I knew I would spend my life advocating for the outdoors.
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But as a Black woman outdoorist, I cannot advocate for protecting wild spaces without also advocating for equitable access and representation of BIPOC in the outdoors. I cannot advocate for protecting waterways without also advocating for the communities who depend upon them for survival. So yeah, environmentalism is sexy. But what’s sexier is when activism meets at all intersections.
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Anyway, this is my summer cooler, and it could be yours too.
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In partnership with @ConservationAlliance, Pacifico is supporting more than 50 organizations that are working to protect North America’s wild landscapes and waterways.
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Head to my Link in Bio and enter for a chance to win a Pacifico adventure cooler. Plus, Pacifico is donating $100K to @ConservationAlliance. #PacificoGiveaway

I took a week away from social media. I took time

I took a week away from social media. I took time for me. You see, it’s really hard when you’re screaming to be seen and heard, with some people determined to tell you that you don’t matter, that Black lives don’t matter.
The exhaustion is real. Every negative, racist remark feels like a jab to the throat.
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Someone I know told me that maybe I need to “toughen up.” But why do I have to toughen up for others to realize that my life matters? Why do I have to change for the world to see that Black Lives Matter? It hurts me to know there are people who see the inequalities plaguing our society and still choose to dismiss them.
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But if this time away has done anything for me, it’s helped me realize that rest is truly a form of radical self-care. Though I know there are people out here who would rather silence me than listen to me, taking time to process and heal has given me new life.
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These past few days I’ve been able to make peace with the fact that not everyone will be okay with my message nor the way I convey that message. And I will not be able to convince everyone that Black Lives Matter, that we must fight for Indigenous sovereignty, that plastic pollution is a pressing matter for BIPOC communities. Ultimately, I’ve come to terms with the fact that not everyone will want to see that our lives are interwoven.
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A few weeks ago I was awarded a night of rest from @rachel.cargle and @getawayhouse #100nightsofrest. When I found out I damn near gaslit myself on all the reasons why I didn’t deserve it. But the truth is, I do deserve rest. Black women deserve rest.
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This time away was a welcome reprieve from the noise that can sometimes fill this virtual world. We stayed in this lovely little cabin tucked away in the woods with no cell service. And I rested and did yoga and oiled my scalp and rested some more. I spent some time reflecting on these past few months.
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Though it was rough, some truly wonderful things have happened for me, and it felt good to celebrate those. I hope to share with you soon. To all the beautiful Black women out there, remember this, the pursuit of rest is its own act of resistance.
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📍Yakama Nation

EBBIN’ & FLOWIN’ 🤸🏾‍♀️ I’ve lear

EBBIN’ & FLOWIN’ 🤸🏾‍♀️
I’ve learned, and am learning, a lot about myself through this page. It started as a vanlife page and has morphed with the times as I have. And I feel good about that. Through it all I’ve learned to use this space more intentionally.
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But I’m tired y’all! I’m going to be taking some time away from here. Time for me to show up for myself. The thing that I’m learning about progress is, to honor where I’m at right now, I need to be softer with myself. I need time to heal. I need rest, nourishment, peace of mind.
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I read somewhere recently that authenticity is a form of resistance. And I ask myself, how can I show up here in all my authentic self if I’m not keeping it real with myself? A mental health break is dire.
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This is not goodbye though. This is see you soon.
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In the meantime, I’ll be getting some rest, cuddling with my dog, having daily chats with my parents, and focusing more on my offline work.
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I’ve got a very exciting project coming up. Hopefully I can tell you all about it soon.
✌🏾✊🏾❤️
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📍Stolen land of the Umpqua & Molalla people

GET CLEAR ON WHY YOU WANT TO BE ANTI-RACIST - @den

PLASTIC-FREE JULY IS AT AN END AND IT WAS A BIT OF

PLASTIC-FREE JULY IS AT AN END AND IT WAS A BIT OF A FAIL FOR US.
But to be honest, I can’t really stress about it. Navigating COVID & the uprising has shifted our priorities.
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But we’re still here doing the best we can. July is only one month and there are other ways we can contribute to the environmental movement.
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- We’re shopping ethically & locally. Researching brands before we buy to make sure they align with our values. Asking questions: The coffee beans we love - are they taking care of their farmers? Are their practices ethical & sustainable?
- Buying only what we need. Space is a premium in vanlife, so we’re forced to not over-buy. But living in a van doesn’t make us immune to consumerism. There’s always that shiny new piece of gear marketed to make our packs lighter & our backcountry adventures more adventur-ey. But we continue to be mindful of needs vs wants.
- Never wasting food. Food waste is up there in my top three pet-peeves. I grew up poor and food was scarce, so wasting was never an option. With covid, child hunger rates have skyrocketed (as if they weren’t already high). According to @feedingamerica, approx 18 million American children are food insecure in 2020.
- Supporting BIPOC businesses. This is one way to create visibility & representation, which is very important if we want to foster a green economy. Sustainability activism has been painfully lacking diverse representation. But this movement isn’t just for rich white people, this is everybody’s movement. An app I’ve been using is @blacknationapp
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Don’t get me wrong, reducing plastic waste is still a priority for us. Plastic production & pollution hits BIPOC communities the hardest. So we’ll continue doing our part, voting with our dollar and keeping our activism intersectional. I’ve been learning a lot from @intersectionalenvironmentalist 👈🏾 follow them. 👋🏾

PERFORMATIVE ALLYSHIP AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA LANDSCA

PERFORMATIVE ALLYSHIP AND THE SOCIAL MEDIA LANDSCAPE
Is there a way to make sure you’re not being performative on social media? Someone asked me this the other day. But I think the better question is - What are the damages caused by performative allyship?
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Lets break it down…
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Performative allyship (performative wokeness): activism done to increase one’s social capital rather than as genuine devotion to a cause. It typically comes with the “ally” receiving praise & validation for being “woke.”
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So, when you’re performative you are:
1. Excusing yourself from addressing the real issues of racism & oppression.
2. Refusing to look inward or take personal responsibility for upholding systemic issues.
3. Skimming the surface & doing the bare minimum.
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Someone mentioned on one of my posts a while back that all types of activism is self serving in one way or another & that may be true. But what makes performative allyship especially dangerous is that there are privileged people out here who use it as an excuse to not do the work. And this causes real harm to the people they claim to be fighting for.
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Sharing a post about injustice is fine & dandy. But what work is being done offline in collaboration with that post? Because police brutality & institutional racism are still affecting Black people, even after your feed has gone back to cat pics & food prn.
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Example: you participated in Blackout Tuesday so you’ve done your part, right? WRONG! That shit is transient, cheap & inauthentic.
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And lemme just say, if you’re white & not doing the work, you are part of the machine upholding white supremacy.
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Not saying you’re a bad person, but the point of allyship is to hold space for marginalized people & help bring about change. And when you’re performative, you’re taking up space & doing more harm than good.
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My advice, take a step back. Take time to do the work & inform yourself. Listen to BIPOC and confront your own biases. MY POINT, if you’re truly doing the work, then you won’t need to ask if your behavior is performative.
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#BlackLivesMatter #BlackOutdoorLivesMatter
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Venmo/PayPal: @ irietoaurora

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