Inclusivity Update, 8/25/2020

The third meeting is in the books. 

Last week, we began to hatch a process by which we would evaluate and approach individual route names that have come under scrutiny for being offensive to marginalized populations. We know a lot of people are interested in this process. We still have a lot to discuss, and we still have to present that process to the full board for discussion and vote. Please be patient while we do our best to get it right.

We also discussed some interesting ideas and action items:

1. A guiding-education scholarship. We all seem to like this one, but there are questions that need to be answered (some of them by accountants and lawyers) before it becomes a reality. Some committee members will be working on that this week.

2. Route-development clinics with spaces reserved primarily for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ climbers to encourage people to become responsible first ascencionists.

3. Composing a climbing code of conduct, so to speak, to include on the NRAC website, and request inclusion in guidebooks and on Mountain Project. A committee member will reach out to Taimur Ahmad, Access Fund Diversity Fellow, for contacts within other LCOs that have undertaken the same action.

4. Wolverine Press, publisher of NRG guidebooks, is generously donating ad space to us in upcoming printings. The committee approved the artwork you see above, which has been sent to the full Board of Directors, as well. Committee members are also reaching out to authorities on the Native American history in West Virginia, to ensure our information is as accurate as possible.

5. We also welcomed a new committee member, Marina Inoue. Presently, the committee includes: Marina, Elena Fouch-Watson, Bayer Watson, Sam Chaber, DJ Grant, Maura Kistler, Tricia DiFranco and Jay Young.

We are all stewards of land once held by indigenous people. Our respect for them, as well as for justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in climbing must be present in everything we do.