Thin Air announced a postponement of dates for its inaugural interactive digital event “to make space for other voices that need to be heard right now,” said event organizers. “To ensure we do not take focus from long overdue conversations and efforts on the systemic racism and oppression of our Black friends, neighbours, and colleagues, we have decided to postpone Thin Air Show until September 15 to 17.”
Event organizers also said they were formalizing a commitment to representative feedback through the addition of a DEI committee to guide the Thin Air experience.
The DEI committee, chaired by Amath Diouf, will consist of seven to nine stakeholders committed to ensuring a conference environment and experience that is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible.
“Diversifying the outdoors is going to take more than social media posts. It’s a long-term commitment that is going to take thinking, feeling, listening, and learning in order for outdoor enthusiasts of marginalized communities to trust the outdoor industry. The great outdoors are naturally inclusive. Let us mirror the beauty and benefit of the outdoors by making our outdoor community a truly family-centric community for Black people like myself, all POC, and LGBTQ+ outdoor enthusiasts,” said Diouf, a North Carolina-based hiker and journalist covering access and diversity in the outdoors.
“As you know, we built the Thin Air Show not only because the industry needed a media show that inherently connects brands directly to consumers, but because a virtual show cannot be
stopped by a global pandemic or anything else the world throws at us,” said founder Erik Boles. “Anything but one thing: systemic racism and injustice against our friends, colleagues, partners, and fellow outsiders, which deserves our immediate attention and action to rectify.”
Thin Air also expects the push to September to grow the event from 400 booths to 500. Those extra 100 booth opportunities will be donated to nonprofits and affinity groups who have been doing this work for a long time, and deserve to be seen and celebrated, said show organizers.
Registration is ongoing and is free for Media and Retailers. http://thinairshow.com/
