Beginning April 19th and ending May 31st, Climbing in Color (CIC) not only will celebrate its 6th anniversary, but also CIC will launch its annual climbing challenge fundraiser, called Higher Ground. Higher Ground is a climb-a-thon fundraiser in which anyone, anywhere can create a profile with a climbing and fundraising goal through Give Lively, an online fundraising platform for nonprofits. Climbing in Color announces its goal of raising $8,000, which will help subsidize indoor and outdoor climbing for self-identified Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), fund scholarships for BIPOC climbers, and continue supporting CIC’s community events.
Climber and scholarship recipient Priyanka Kushwaha states,“CIC’s scholarship gave me the opportunity to build confidence in lead climbing and experience climbing at Joshua Tree during the Friends of Joshua Tree, Climb Smart festival. Climbing is my happy place and with access to these opportunities, I am becoming a better climber and pushing the envelope far beyond what I could have ever imagined for myself!”
C.L. received a scholarship to attend CIC’s first out-of-state climbing trip to Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada. C.L. stated, “I’m deeply grateful to have had the opportunity. I had the chance to climb diverse routes, experience my first multi-pitch, and share meaningful conversations with incredible people. Being immersed in nature and community was a truly healing experience.”
To support more scholarships and programs for BIPOC climbers, you can join our Higher Ground fundraiser and create a profile by clicking on the link to Give Lively and selecting “I Want to Fundraise for This.” This is a fun opportunity for participants to challenge themselves with a goal during the fundraiser. If you don’t climb but still want to make a contribution, you can sponsor the fundraisers by going to Higher Ground’s Give Lively page and clicking on a fundraiser’s profile to donate.
Climbing in Color offers many prizes and raffle items for participants. Prizes include a bouldering pad, quickdraws, outdoor apparel, yoga classes, gift bags, and more. When Higher Ground ends on May 25th, the top 3 fundraisers will get to select any prize they want. For all participants, every $50 raised will result in one raffle prize entry. The amount raised is rounded down to the nearest $50 increment, for example, $170 raised=3 entries, or $510 raised=10 entries.
Climbing in Color is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in Tucson, Arizona with a national following. Our mission is to elevate the voices of BIPOC climbers, build a community of camaraderie and support, and introduce more BIPOC folks to climbing.
