Scholarship Recipient | 2022 Flash Foxy Climbing Festival - Bishop

A reflection of the Flash Foxy Climbing Festival weekend is hard to summarize. The first time I had heard about this festival was when I had just started to climb in the outdoors. Hearing about this type event was hard to imagine if I would ever be able to get to a skill level where I was confident enough to even pursue outdoor climbing independently. When I had first applied for the scholarship, I initially thought, “who am I to apply for this scholarship?” It seemed like a far fetching unobtainable goal. When I received the congratulatory email that I had received the scholarship, I felt so accomplished and so excited to share space with other folks who have had shared experiences similar to mine. The weekend with the Flash Foxy Festival go-ers was unbelievable and had so much of the energy that I was looking for. It was so freeing to be in a space where I felt like I belonged there and that I was welcomed to try and make mistakes. It was a space where I could make connections all across the country and talk about what climbing means to me. It was also a place where I felt safe from the rest of the world. During this weekend, a nurse was prosecuted for the first time with criminal charges and during this stressful event, I had the support of other climbers and healthcare professionals there to help process this moment. I was able to debrief and alleviate some of my stress with fellow climbers.

Although I did have some personal issues arise during this festival, I was surround by folks who shared the same passions as I did and in a beautiful area that I had never been to. It felt so good to be able to show up and feel like I belong there. It's impossible express my gratitude for this group and I feel so privileged to be able to do what I love. Thank you for this opportunity.

Judy Su (she/her)

Nicole Gebriel (she/her)

Jay Louie (they/them)