Now in its fourth year, The North Face will be celebrating Global Climbing Day this Saturday, August 22, including efforts to raise funds and support global leader “who are already doing the work to make climbing more accessible and inclusive.”
TNF is inviting the climbing community a virtual event this Saturday and the chance to snag a custom, up-cycled chalk bag from The North Face Design Residency.
The celebration of Global Climbing Day on August 22 includes a series of YouTube Live (RSVP HERE) conversations featuring eight organizations in the climbing community already working to make climbing more accessible. These leaders include Memphis Rox, Indigenous Womxn Climb, Paraclimbing London, The Brown Ascenders, Climb Malawi, Coral Cliffs, All Rise Climbing and Paradox Sports. TNF is also launching the Walls Fund and committing to donate over $80,000 to these programs to help further their efforts.
As a way to raise additional funds to contribute toward The Walls Fund, The North Face Design Residency has also handmade 25 upcycled chalk bags, three of which are signed by climbing icons Alex Honnold, Ashima Shiriashi and Jimmy Chin and will be auctioned off on Saturday.
Global Climbing Day Speaker Programming:
Moderated by The North Face team athlete Sam Elias:
10:00–10:40 a.m. MT
CLIMBING & COMMUNITY IMPACT: MEMPHIS ROX & CLIMB MALAWI
Memphis Rox and Climb Malawi are two not-for-profit gyms in different parts of the world; both are working to engage and support their local communities through their climbing gyms. Join us in a conversation about how climbing can be used to positively impact our communities.
10:40–11:00 a.m. MT
SPOTLIGHT: MEMPHIS ROX & PARACLIMBING LONDON
11:00–11:40 a.m. MT
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING: BROWN ASCENDERS & INDIGENOUS WOMXN CLIMB
The Brown Ascenders and Indigenous Womxn Climb are two community-led organizations that arose out of a need of representation and opportunity for, and led by, historically excluded communities within climbing. Join us in a conversation around the importance of community organizing and the ways that grassroots action can be used to create significant change.
11:40–12:00 p.m. MT
SPOTLIGHT: ALL RISE YOUTH PROGRAM
12:00 p.m.–12:40 p.m. MT
MAKING GYMS ACCESSIBLE & INCLUSIVE: PARADOX SPORTS & CORAL CLIFFS
Gyms are a crucial part of the journey that many have into climbing; Paradox Sports and Coral Cliffs are actively working to ensure that these spaces are welcome to all. Join us in a conversation that explores the dynamics within climbing gyms and how we can work to make them accessible and inclusive.
Photo: Courtesy The North Face; Coral Cliffs
