Brown Girls Climb Marketplace: Reclaim Your Buying Power

Photo credit: Janelle

Tired of buying outdoor goods that compromise your values? Brown Girls Climb is taking action to change the way YOU shop by introducing the BGC Marketplace.

What is Brown Girls Climb? 

Brown Girls Climb (BGC) is a Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC)-led outdoor collective and social enterprise that began in 2016 as a way to make climbing safer and more inclusive. As they’ve grown into a national organization, hosted national climbing events and partnered with major outdoor companies and nonprofits, they’ve continued to provide mentorship and support to women of color, genderqueer and non-binary climbers of color.

The outdoor industry is SUPER white

You may have noticed that the outdoor industry is super white and we’re not just talking about professional athletes. The outdoor industry is super white when it comes to the businesses that make up the industry and the wealth that is circulating throughout the industry. So how do you get the gear you need without compromising your values?

So what is the BGC Marketplace?

The BGC Marketplace is a brand-new online shopping experience created by the Brown Girls Climb. This marketplace is geared towards outdoors people who want to invest their money in businesses that share similar values of inclusivity, diversity and social justice.

It’s a one-stop-shop for anyone interested in buying outdoor products. All in one place, just a click away. Conveniently packaged to help you shop sustainably without endlessly scrolling. Brown Girls Climb does the research for you and with a smartly curated selection of small businesses and larger outdoor companies that will meet your needs, whether you’re looking for more inclusive sizing, Black owned or LGBTQ+ owned online shops.

“Currently, there is limited data on the number of Black and Brown, Women, and Queer entrepreneurs in the outdoor industry,” said Brown Girls Climb Founder and CEO Bethany Lebewitz. “This lack of representation doesn’t match the changing demographic of outdoor recreationalists and the general population in this country. The multicultural shopper holds trillions in spending potential and we know, together, we have the power to change the way our money is invested.”

Through the BGC Marketplace, Brown Girls Climb will continue to advocate for more inclusive product development and corporate responsibility. Isn’t it time that outdoor companies think about product development in a way that goes beyond white able-bodied men? By creating this online marketplace, they have carefully selected a group of companies that are investing in us!

Some of the merchandise featured on the marketplace includes:

Chalk bags by Jitterbug Art

Apparel with designs by Brooklyn Bell

Discounted Climbing Shoes from Scarpa and Evolve

Personal Training experiences from multiple BIPOC trainers

My personal experiences with Brown Girls Climb

I began rock climbing in October 2016 at my local climbing gym in North Carolina. I quickly realized that my two friends who introduced me to climbing and myself were some of the only Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) at our climbing gym. At the time I was writing for Melanin Base Camp and was connected to several BIPOC-led outdoor groups. I don’t remember the exact moment when I came in contact with Brown Girls Climb but I am so grateful for the many friendships I have forged through BGC and the connections I have made.

Brown Girls Climb has helped me find community through their local meetups and national meetup, Color the Crag. This organization has also helped me become a more confident climber. I’m proud to be a Brown Girls Climb North Carolina Co- Leader and I’m grateful for the educational opportunities I’ve had access to, such as the Wilderness Upgrade for Medical Providers. They’ve also assisted me with gear so that I could become an independent trad climber. Brown Girls Climb has had such a profound impact in both my climbing and personal life and I am incredibly lucky to have found such a warm community.

Currently BGC is seeking assistance from the community in order to remain a viable business. Please check out their crowdfunding campaign through @ifundwomen or click on the link in their Instagram bio @BrownGirlsClimb. Crowdfunding ends on the last day of July. In order to keep the BGC Marketplace running, Brown Girls Climb must be able to fund a staff member to manage the daily nuances of running a digital shopping platform. Without support from the crowdfunding campaign, BGC Marketplace will have to close by March 2022 . By investing in the Brown Girls Climb marketplace you are investing in a BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+ and woman owned business. By contributing to the Brown Girls Climb Marketplace you are breaking the cycle of wealth inequity in the outdoor industry and are contributing to a platform that includes adaptive athletes, people of all different body types and gender expressions. Click on the photo below to directly impact the buying power of BIPOC people in the outdoor industry by supporting Brown Girl’s Climb. I am truly grateful to be a part of this.

PC: Ben Pingilley