In a celebration on Oct. 10, Leon McNeil will be honored as the 2023 Texas Outdoorsman of the Year. The tribute comes largely for his decades of service through City Kids Adventures—an organization that McNeil founded in 1995, whose focus is getting urban youth into the outdoors.
City Kids was born from passion. McNeil himself grew up in an urban environment and, through a series of fortunate events and a dedication to forging his own path, was exposed to the outdoors in his youth. These formative experiences ultimately shaped the course of his life, and clearly continue to ripple today.
While McNeil admits that the recognition feels simultaneously beautiful, and a bit like a blur, he is quick to acknowledge those that have been on this journey alongside him since the beginning.
In a recent interview with Kinute, the first thing McNeil made clear is that the award belongs to his wife, Letisha, and son, Lee Charles, as well. “None of this would be possible without the support of my family and the kids that believe in what we do,” McNeil said.
Leon, Letisha, and Lee Charles McNeil. Photo courtesy of Leon McNeil
It takes a village
It is this sense of awareness that is characteristic of McNeil. While his vision for the organization has been strong since its inception, he has always known that he couldn’t do it alone—especially given the fact that in addition to City Kids Adventures, McNeil works as an educator and coach.
It is his work as an educator, a profession that he shares with his wife Letisha, that underscores his understanding of the scope of challenges that youth face today. “Social media has created an environment for kids [that is] short term…which is the world that a lot of the kids come from,” McNeil noted. “So scholastically, they have a much tougher time interacting, sitting in the classroom, listening to lectures, and being engaged.”
The McNeils have seen time and again how building a relationship with the natural world and acquiring associated skills lends itself to greater resilience and confidence—which serve as much needed counterbalances to the ephemeral trends continuously served up online.
A paddling trip with City Kids Adventures. Photo courtesy of Leon McNeil
In honoring nature’s unequivocal role in the work City Kids does, McNeil takes every opportunity to bring conservation into the conversation. “We won't have these beautiful natural places that are untouched by man because everything is going to be touched by man,” McNeil said. “The way to help that is to clean it up and pick it up. We talk about it a lot.”
With youth and nature at the forefront, McNeil has found a legion of supporters that have his back. “We couldn't do this without everybody that's involved,” McNeil said. “I just want to thank all our sponsors and folks for doing what they do.”
Fruits of their labor
It is through this support that the McNeils have been able to continue growing the organization over the past 28 years. A recent victory has been the completion of dorms constructed for youth program participants on the McNeils’ property—which serves as the training headquarters for their programs.
Youth participants after a successful hunt. Photo courtesy of Leon McNeil
Additionally, this past summer the group had the opportunity to go on one of their biggest adventures yet, visiting Florida and the Bahamas.
While in Florida, the kids had the opportunity to participate in teen court and take in veterinary surgeries at the University of Miami. The Bahamas leg of the trip focused on oceanic navigation and biodiversity.
As a testament to their tireless efforts, the work of City Kids Adventures has been memorialized in a recent documentary, City Kids, that is currently making the rounds on the film festival circuit before public release on YouTube.
McNeil will be honored at Chris Madrids in San Antonio, Texas, for his Texas Outdoorsman of the Year Award.
Learn more about his personal story, family, and City Kids Adventures in Kinute’s profile, The McNeil Family.
A fishing outing with City Kids. Photo courtesy of Leon McNeil