“Taking Up Space” September 20, 2023

Late news, but I attended an American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Instructor (AMGA SPI) (https://amga.com/single-pitch-instructor/) course in Anacortes, Washington last month! It was put on by the group Climbers of Color based in Seattle (https://www.climbersofcolor.org) and all I can say is WHAT AN EXPERIENCE. 

I first heard about CoC from, where else, their instagram (https://www.instagram.com/climbersofcolor/). As the name implies, their mission is to get more BIPOC outside through events, education, mentorship programs and advocacy work.  They’d advertised an affinity course solely for people of color who were interested in becoming single pitch instructors with only 6 spots available.  I applied and hoped and waited.

For those who haven’t met me, I’m a small Asian climber in addition to a therapist.  I came into climbing roughly 20 years ago, not scaling any particularly huge mountains but always searching for 5.Fun (thanks, https://semi-rad.com/). I aim to be safe, fun and outside and though I’ve spent most of my life in the San Francisco Bay Area and while it is relatively diverse, I’ve experienced snafus, hiccups, tense moments while existing outside in an, I’ll call it, a surprising/you don’t belong here/well, ain’t that something body.

Fast forward to an email welcoming me to the group, meeting everyone for the weekend and learning and relearning skills in the most joy filled, laughter abounding, supportive environment. (Learning technical skills doesn’t have to suck!) Our instructor was Szu-ting Yi (https://www.instagram.com/szutingyi/), the founder of the podcast Female Guides Requested, author of the first two climbing manuals written in Chinese, guide based out of Red Rock Canyon (Las Vegas, NV) and all around inspiration.  And while I was by far the oldest (I’m going to own that) of the group, the vibes were good and encouraging and hopeful for the future.

My grand goal is to somehow interweave getting people outside (single pitch setting! In the Bay Area, thinking Marin/East Bay) and this therapy practice but that’s likely insurance/liability navigation away. Shorter term goal is to help, support and encourage people to exist and take up space in their own desired, if “surprising,” ways and spaces.  There are unfortunately so many ways one can feel like they don’t belong, whether due to race, culture, where you went to school, where you go to school now (hi, kids), what car you drive, what car you don’t drive (yay, bikes)...and my opinion, life is too short to accept the sense of not belonging preventing you from existing in places you deserve, nay, you need to be in.

All of this to say, outside is free. There’s room enough for everyone.