I am not content with the idea of being some kind of racial anomaly. I refuse to believe that my passion for nature is something that necessarily makes me a new version of black person.
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When I am out at the crag or ‘living my best life’ on a nice mountaintop I feel grateful for the opportunity to experience the world in such a beautiful way—but I also feel shame.
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I can faintly hear three friends, clapping and cheering 15 feet below me, but the rock I sit on, the route I just finished, and the world all slowly start to drop away. I have never felt more alive.
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Now as a climber, I have a large care team that is comprised of three chiropractors, an acupuncturist, a massage therapist, and a physical therapist. Even during a packed residency schedule, I try to see two each week to help keep my body in good shape. I’m going to share with you my favorite tips that I have picked up over the years!
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He credits his Black parents and grandparents who “set the tone for us as advocates of outdoor exploration, stewardship, and "atypical" activities such as skiing, ice hockey and hang gliding.”
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I think having access and proximity to the river is such a huge barrier. It has gotten a little bit smaller. But I think that is one of the main reasons we haven’t seen as many people of color in the water as you would for a comparable sport.
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Often times I walk away feeling moderately confident, but still wishing for a male companion on my climbs to put me at ease. Not this time.
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We interviewed eight amazing Asian & Pacific Islander women who are changing the climbing scene through advocacy, representation and redefining what it means to #climblikeagirl.
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Nguyen is frank about his observations of the guiding industry. It looks like “rich old white dudes in charge of a younger set of rich white dudes in charge of a poor set of white dudes.” His goal is to change that.
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Today we’re challenging the widespread assumption that People of Color should do outdoor diversity, equity and inclusion work for free—just because it’s an important social cause. It is important. And we’re still charging.
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I cannot remember an exact moment in my life where I was taught to be afraid of white men and to keep my distance from them while playing outside or walking home from the school bus stop […] I didn't know the exact root of the fear, but it felt familiar, finely honed, and legitimate.
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Have you ever found it difficult to talk to outdoor “friends” about certain issues? It's not a matter of distrust; the outdoor community is all about trusting total strangers with your life—even as you climb 80 feet off the ground. Yet, I can’t trust outdoor friends enough to be honest about my feelings on certain issues, such as sexual harassment, racial discrimination and inequality.
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Paris Brown has always dealt with performance anxiety—never more so than her qualifying round for American Ninja Warrior Season 9. She had an agonizingly heartbreaking fall off of the second obstacle on the course. And just like that her season was over. But her story didn’t end there. Paris got back up and continued training. She is now stronger than ever!
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Meet Melise: a climber and neuroscientist based out of Seattle, Washington.
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I wish I understood at an earlier age that your interests and passions are yours alone to choose. Don’t feel the need to fit perfectly inside a mold.
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I write because I know I'm not the only one feeling the way that I do. I write because “I’m not Black enough.” I write because I love the outdoors. I write because our voices deserve to be heard.
We wanted to create something to riff on that moment when you think you’re the “only one” but actually aren’t. And that is pretty much how Soy Sauce Nation was born.
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Where the current pulled left, the water darkened. To my front and right, I could see slivers of light and air bubbles at the edges of the fishbowl’s rim. Water and air were being mixed and pushed downstream from the ledge. That must be where the real air is. At the surface.
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…Alex said, “hey, we should all go to Spain!” I was like, “I’ve never been, but sure, sounds great!”
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And each time I turned around I felt like a complete failure! Maybe it’s the universe’s way of telling me to pick another hobby. A safer hobby. A warmer hobby. In fact, each time I fail, I tend to go through the complete stages of grief. Seriously! I go through denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and the hardest one, acceptance.
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