The Climber's Pledge

Once we had signed the Outdoor CEO Pledge, we knew that we needed to take the next step. The KAYA team rallied and decided that we wanted to engage the broader climbing community, giving everyone a platform to learn and also stand solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, and Black climbers everywhere.

pic: Saki Cake / The Brown Ascenders — pic: Saki Cake / The Brown Ascenders

Much like the Outdoor CEO Pledge creates a list of actionable points for brands and businesses, we wanted to create a guideline of actions to move the community.

THE CLIMBER’S PLEDGE is a climber wide fundraising campaign to support the Black Lives Matter movement, and specifically to promote the access and inclusion of Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color in climbing. It is impossible to overlook the relationship between racism and the lack of diversity in climbing gyms, the outdoors, and in the outdoor industry. While this problem is so much bigger than climbing and the outdoors, as climbers, it is our responsibility to look inward and to commit to changing the culture of our community.

We are raising funds to support the The Brown Ascenders, a nonprofit organization created for and by climbers of color. They work to increase accessibility of outdoor spaces, outdoor related education and recreation for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color adults and youths, while cultivating outlets for community, representation, and growth. Funding will help power their clinics, gear libraries, and meetups.

This pledge and fundraiser is rooted in a deep belief that the future of climbing is going to be and must be more accessible, diverse, and inclusive. Not only is this the right thing to do, it is necessary in order to build a strong and sustainable community.

We have a donor who will match the amount that we raise 2:1, up to $30,000. In other words, if we raise $10k, they’ll donate an additional $20k on top. That’s a total of $30,000 to support access, inclusion, and justice for climbers of color.

We are calling on climbers globally to join us and double the impact to help power the organizations and advocates who have already been doing the work to charge ahead, and transform the way our gyms and crags look.

THE CLIMBER’S PLEDGE is more than a fundraising campaign, it is a promise to do better. To sign the pledge, and agree to its points, all climbers must first donate to the fundraising campaign. DONATE NOW.

THE CLIMBER’S PLEDGE states:

I will seek to understand the experiences of Black people and underrepresented groups in climbing gyms and the outdoors. I will do this by listening, reading, and amplifying the experiences shared by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
I will leverage my influence to actively confront racism with all of my sponsors including advocating to diversify athlete teams and ambassador teams and introducing them to the Outdoor CEO Pledge by the InSolidarity Group. (for un-sponsored climbers, please consider reaching out to your favorite brands and manufacturers)
I will actively confront racism at my local/regular climbing gym including advocating to accommodate groups and teams specifically set up for climbers that are Black, Indigenous, People of Colour. I will also introduce them to the Outdoor CEO Pledge by the InSolidarity Group.
I will speak out against racism whenever I encounter it. I will challenge micro-aggressions, racial undertones, and inappropriate behaviour, be it at the gym, or the crag. I will be an ally to all BIPOC climbers.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PLEDGE, THE FUNDRAISER, AND TO SEE WHO HAS SIGNED IT, CLICK HERE