Wild Diversity

This week, Kassy shares a powerful reflection on the impact that finding affinity with Climbers of Color had on her perspective that bouldering could, in fact, be a positive social experience. When I was first told that bouldering was a “social sport” I simply raised an eyebrow and said, “that’s not me” because for the longest time, it wasn’t. As someone who once struggled with social anxiety the simple act of walking into a crowded gym was not easy.  Every time I saw the herds of people inside I would quickly turn around and say, “Nope! Maybe next time.” It took months of peaking into the gym doors before I actually went in to sign up for a membership. Sadly, my anxiety didn’t improve much once I started climbing.  As a new climber, dealing with imposter syndrome was difficult but being one of the only women of color in that gym made it almost impossible. Surrounded by a sea of white men, I would often hear myself think, “You’re not one of them. They know it. You know it. Thi...

Ask an Adventure Leader is a writing series that gives our community an opportunity to learn from our Adventure Leaders' collective experience, expertise, and deepest excitements. This week, Heather (they/them) shares some of their best tips for building a wardrobe for the outdoors. For many of us, choosing what to wear each day is determined by a few factors including function, comfort, and style. But what’s important when it comes to what we wear when enjoying the great outdoors? Depending on the conditions of your location, plus the activity you plan to do, figuring out what to wear can be just as easy as getting dressed in the morning. What will be comfortable, keep you safe, and show your uniqueness? For me, cost was a concern when figuring out I needed to wear on trail or on a paddle. What did I need to have--or go buy, I assumed,--to be prepared, and how could I get creative?  Read on for some tips that might help you find the sweet spot when it comes to clothing in the outd...

Ask an Adventure Leader is a writing series that gives our community an opportunity to learn from our Adventure Leaders' collective experience, expertise, and deepest excitements. This week, Mahin (they/them) shares some of their best tips about hammocking – both to increase your enjoyment of the experience, and to be intentional about the ways we relate to our dear tree friends – followed by a delightful list of their favorite places to swing in their "portable porch swing." I've been with Wild Diversity as an Adventure Leader since April 2020. I first encountered the organization at a Pride event in June 2019, where a bunch of outdoorsy type organizations were tabling at Next Adventure. I was excited to meet Mercy and hear about Wild Diversity's mission to create community with BIPOC & Queer folks connecting to nature together. I signed up for the Hoh Rainforest backpacking trip in September 2019 and had such a special, fantastic time, that I decided to beco...

  Skeeter Sato CW: body image, eating disorder I used to furiously exercise; I was angry at the world, and the elliptical in front of me, angry that I was moving in a body that wasn’t mine. My relationship to exercise became toxic when I started developing physically. As an AFAB (assigned female at birth), I was hyper-aware of my changing body, and was terrified of it. When my breasts started to grow and my hips no longer fit in my brother’s old Nike shorts, I started to run. I ran until my body started shutting down, I ran until I couldn’t feel my body any longer, I ran until my ankle broke and I ran until all I identified with was my mile PR and nothing else. I became a conglomerate of toxic numbers and terror-- I didn’t want to keep running, but I was afraid that if I stopped, I would have to face my growing body. After many years in treatment, a gap year before college, and numerous injuries, I finally slowed down, and started to enjoy less strenuous activities. My running care...

By Charelle Stanley Toan Chu Hiking can still be a fun and peaceful way to get outdoors in the winter months; it just takes a little more prep and planning. Here you'll learn about the winter adventure essentials, regulating your body temperature with three types of layers, and what to do before you head out so that you can safely enjoy nature, even in cooler temps. If you're looking for a place to start your cold-weather adventures, I've also compiled a list of my top five spots for easy to moderate hiking in the Pacific Northwest — read on for those! But first, a quick safety reminder to s tay on the trail ( do not venture off trail unless you have taken a certified AIARE avalanche course or equivalent) and to always let people know where you are going and when you plan on coming back. Essentials on the Trail ☑️ Food When you're on the trail you tend to snack more than usual. Bring food that is filling and easy to repackage in order to reduce waist on the trail. ☑...

Despite all the challenges this year, we are grateful for all the ways we were with our community. We completed our Leadership Development Training, hosted our Resilience Conference virtually, pushed out a bunch of new, amazing resources on our blog and our YouTube channel, and co-created full-time outdoor educational support for K-2 in response to a virtual school year. The thing about this year that I appreciate the most is our team’s commitment to showing up for our community and our community’s commitment to supporting the work we do. We focused on creating a landscape that was more habitable for BIPOC/LGBTQ2S+ folks and have felt the immediate reward of our work. 2020 has shown our strength, determination, and commitment to each other. It’s shown what support during tough times can do. We could not have done this without you. And for that reason, I’m asking you to reaffirm your belief in Wild Diversity and donate to our year-end giving campaign. We need your help so that we can h...