Scholarship Recipient | 2022 Flash Foxy Climbing Festival - Bishop

My first Hey Flash Foxy experience was everything I needed it to be, and more. Most of my acquaintance with the sport has been in white, male dominated environments, and this festival was by far the most diverse climbing community I have been a part of. Being surrounded by beautiful, badass, courageous women and genderfluid climbers was so affirming and special. It was an oasis, and I found it hard to return to the "real world". On the first day of the festival, several of us got together to climb at Happy Boulders. Most of the people I met were total strangers, and yet the support and encouragement they generously offered made me feel so safe, and welcome, as if I had known them for much longer than just a few minutes.

Though we all represented different skill levels, I never felt inadequate or estranged. The community was instant and it was strong. A far cry from the rugged, competitive nature of climbing that I was accustomed to, there was a gentleness and sense of collaboration that permeated the energy. Truly, these were some of the kindest crushers I had ever met and it was inspiring to share space with them.

I'll share a memory that will stick with me forever. On the last day we had to head out pretty early. Before my group left, we decided to stop at the Buttermilks one last time. The view alone made it worth the trip. I hopped on a problem that I had tried with a group the day before, "Hero's Roof". It is a fun one! Several times I made it past the crux, but got intimidated at the top out and bailed. This day, I was determined to finish it. I calmed my nerves as best I could, collected myself, and went for it. I was terrified, but I pushed through and went for the top out. Ultimately, my fears got the best of me and I panicked. My hands started to sweat profusely, my body felt like jello, I swung from the edge of the overhang, accepted my fate, and let go. In that moment there are so many things I would have done differently to avoid what happened next.

I crashed. Hard. My ankle immediately swelled to the size of a potato. It was awful. I had just recovered from an injury to the other ankle, and was devastated that I'd be out of the sport again. But once again, the Hey Flash Foxy community, and a few people outside of it, came through and reassured me that I was in good hands, and that everything would be ok, boosting my spirits in an otherwise dark moment.

A park ranger trained in Wilderness First Response went through a few tests with me and reassured me that there was no fracture, just a pretty gnarly sprain. A kind woman gave me what ice was left in her water bottle so that we could manufacture an ice pack with a pair of gloves. Another woman happened to have a splint in her first aid kit which she generously offered to me to help make the rocky trek back to my car a bit more bearable. And Jessie, the wonderful human, who made me laugh so hard in one of my previous attempts that I had to come down, wrapped my ankle with an ace bandage and offered some kind words of support and encouragement. Of course, I sustained the injury on my right foot, and was unable to drive. Friends with whom I traveled, shared the burden of making the 13 hour drive back home to Albuquerque.

Several weeks later my ankle is mostly healed. I'm back to light climbing and still so high off of the energy of HFF. I am so grateful to this wonderful community for everything they have given me, including a new perspective and a sense of confidence and belonging that I carry with me in every climbing space I enter. I am eager to be joining this beautiful crew again for festivals to come.

Melanie Williams (she/her)

Nana Saatchi (they/them)

Henry Adamson (they/them)