Most of us don’t think much about diversity on the trail. In Southern California, it’s pretty common to see people of all colors sharing the trail. When you get into the backcountry however, people of color are are few and far between.
Why does diversity in our wilderness matter?
In a few decades, people of color will outnumber the white majority for the first time ever. To ensure continuing support and protection for our wilderness, we need people of all colors to see that these places are worth protecting and preserving for future generations.
That’s one of the reasons we support Big City Mountaineers through the annual Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. And it’s also one of the reasons AN AMERICAN ASCENT was made.
AN AMERICAN ASCENT is a feature documentary about the first African American expedition to tackle North America’s highest peak, Denali, on the 100th anniversary of the first climb.
From the official website:
In only a few decades the United States will become a majority-minority nation, as people of color will outnumber the white majority for the first time ever. Yet, a staggering number of these people do not consider the outdoors as a place for them. In June 2013, nine African Americans set out to build a legacy and become role models for inner city kids and people of color all over America to encourage them to get outside. They did so by taking on the grueling, 20,237 foot peak of the continent’s biggest mountain.
You can watch the trailer below, and rent or purchase the full documentary to stream or download from Vimeo.
For more information about this beautiful documentary, visit anamericanascent.com.
I hope their story will inspire others to learn that wilderness is worth discovering first hand.
Please share and help spread the word!
where can i join the hiking ?