How much do you know about mountaineering? I know next to nothing. Luckily, in an effort to raise awareness about the lack of diversity within the American mountaineering community, a new film, An American Descent, documents nine black women and men’s journey up Alaska’s Denali (Mount McKinely), America’s highest peak at 20,322 feet.
According to The Grist, Expedition Denali, which raised over $100,000 on Kickstarter, energized other organizations dedicated to helping black folks reconnect to nature thru outdoor exercise:
Last year’s climb got other diversity-in-the-wilderness groups like Outdoor Afro and GirlTrek organizing their own events. And through screenings and outreach efforts like NOLS’ 10,000 Steps to Denali (which challenges kids and families to trek the roundtrip distance from High Camp to the summit in their own backyards), the hope is to get more people outside, bolster environmental stewardship in general, and basically implode that whole black-people-don’t-hike thing.
Expedition Denali includes Scott Briscoe, Stephen Deberry, James Kagambi, Billy Long, Ryan Mitchell, Tyrhee Moore, Robby ReChord, Rosemary Saal, Adina Scott, Stephen Shobe, and Erica Wynn. Congrats!
Check out the trailer below:
I am loving this . . .cannot wait!!