TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — It all started with an Instagram post in 2018—that turned in to a group of locals looking for their next adventure.
Ravinder Singh and Amber Wong started a group called Climbing in Color a couple of years ago and it's been going strong ever since. They both love climbing and say it's a great way to connect with the community and others across the country.
"A random Instagram idea I had turned into something that builds community. There is a lack of diversity in general climbers and professional climbers. One of the hopes of Climbing in Color is to not only bring POC climbers into the climbing community but to help them bridge that gap and climb outdoors,” Singh said.
“Climbing in Color is a community that we created for people to find a safe space and find comradery in experience and just to find a community within the climbing community,” Wong said.
The goal of the nonprofit—is to open the door to more diversity in the world of climbing, and southern Arizona is the perfect place to start, one of their favorite spots is Mt. Lemmon.
"You get to spend your days outdoors just adventuring. If you enjoy climbing, you can go to almost anywhere in the U.S or the world and have a community and activity that you can do there,” Singh said.
Wong says it's also a fun activity you can do to keep your mind and body in shape.
“With the people that you’re meeting you’re getting a better understanding of who they are and through that I found that I also love the problem solving that comes with climbing a route,” Wong said.
So far, at least 80 members have signed up and the group has thousands of followers online, they also have a chapter in Flagstaff. Climbers meet at least once a month at local climbing gyms to gear up for their next adventure.
"We’re trying to build a community to inspire others to get outside and join us. The more people we have enjoying our public spaces the more advocates we have for protecting those spaces,” Singh said.
You can find the group on the climbingincolor.org, they also have pages on Facebook and Instagram.
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