Access Fund, the national nonprofit advocacy organization that protects America’s outdoor climbing areas, welcomed Bethany Lebewitz to its board of directors.
As CEO of Brown Girls Climb, LLC, Lebewitz strives to foster a community where women of color are encouraged to lead, on and off the crag. She is also a co-founder of Color the Crag, a climbing festival that celebrates diversity and culture in climbing. Through these efforts, she raises awareness about historical mountaineers and explorers of color and encourages climbers of color to understand and embrace culturally relevant stewardship practices in the areas they climb.
“We’re thrilled to welcome such a talented force to Access Fund’s board,” said Jonah Harrison, Access Fund board president. “Bethany has done an outstanding job of elevating women of color and underrepresented voices in the climbing community.”
Lebewitz has been climbing for nearly 10 years. She holds her Single Pitch Instructor certification and is a part-time youth climbing instructor with Beast Fingers Climbing Team in Denver. Her interest in both rock climbing and neuroscience has driven her to create outdoor and climbing opportunities as a way to share tools that encourage growth and adapt our responses to challenging circumstances. Lebewitz is also passionate about developing outdoor programs and policies that integrate education, prioritizing native land history and shared-use plans with other communities.
“Access Fund has demonstrated a continued effort to respond to feedback from the climbing community, and I am really honored to contribute to an organization that values its members,” Lebewitz said. “I look forward to seeing how we can continue to grow and develop to keep our crags well stewarded, accessible, and safe.”
