Equity & Belonging Committee

We’re committed to working to create a Mountaineers where all people can see themselves and be seen. Learn more in this A FAQ about our Equity & Belonging work.

At The Mountaineers, we believe all people should feel belonging in the outdoors. We have experienced first hand the transformative power of nature, and we believe everyone should have opportunities, knowledge, resources, and access to connect with nature. We recognize that the experience of being outdoors is not the same for everyone, and we’re committed to working to create a Mountaineers where all people can see themselves and be seen as their full and true selves.

Quick Access

Background/Historical Context
What does Equity & Inclusion mean to The Mountaineers?
How will I know I'm welcome here?
What can I do as a member/volunteer to make this a more inclusive space?
How can I get involved?
Equity & Inclusion Resources
E&I Highlights

Background/Historical Context

To foster a community where all people feel belonging, we launched a Board of Directors’ chartered Equity & Inclusion (E&I) Committee in 2018. The committee’s purpose is to work in partnership with staff to identify and resource ways to reduce barriers to participation at The Mountaineers. In the past five years, the E&I Committee has helped to create resources, restructure programs, increase transparency, promote new opportunities, and support physically and emotionally safe learning environments for our participants.

A few highlights from the last five years include launching a gear library, re-imagining our scholarship application process to center equity and dignity, designing new pathways to climbing leadership, offering dozens of E&I training opportunities and resources each year (including our recently launched E&I Leader Toolkit and the Emotional Safety in the Outdoors Course), and continued efforts to change the narrative about who belongs outdoors through partnerships and communications.

We’re excited about the progress we’ve made, and know we still have work to do.

What does Equity & Inclusion mean to The Mountaineers?

For more than 100 years, the core of our mission has been to connect people to the natural world and to each other. We envision a world where our adventures extend beyond the reach of our own personal enjoyment. Where all people can confidently enjoy and protect the natural world.

We seek to foster a culture of equity and belonging by reducing barriers and creating welcoming spaces. We have built our new strategic plan - Adventure with Purpose - around this belief, and are dedicating significant time and resources to supporting our stated strategic plan’s vision that “every individual can find inspiration and belonging in the outdoors through Mountaineers community, programs, and books.”

Belonging is walking into a room and fitting in without a second thought. Belonging is the ability to focus on the task in front of you and fully engage in your environment. Belonging is the feeling of security, when you can show up as your true self and find acceptance… We want everyone to walk into a Mountaineers space and say, “I see myself reflected in the other faces and backgrounds here.” “I’m not intimidated by the language the instructors are using.” “I understand what’s expected of me and others so that we can all create the best experience possible.””

– Tom Vogl, CEO, The Nature of Belonging

We are working to live our values through changes to policy, programs, and education, and we amplify the importance of belonging through the stories we tell, the diverse authors we publish, and the guides that help everyone enjoy the outdoors. We use “equity & inclusion” to describe this body of work because the terms “1) are now commonly understood within The Mountaineers, 2) both are also common terms used and understood with peer organizations and within our sector, and 3) while imperfect, they possess generally affirmative and aspirational qualities that unite us toward commonly shared goals” (SuJ’n Chon, Founding E&I Committee Member, “What’s in a name? Why we use Equity & Inclusion (E&I)).

How will I know I’m welcome here?

We have built our new strategic plan - Adventure with Purpose - around our belief that all people should have access to outdoor experiences and feel belonging in the outdoors. One of our three strategic priorities - Engage a Vibrant Community of Outdoor Enthusiasts - has the specific goal to invest “in opportunities that help everyone feel belonging [to] ensure the future of our organization and our planet.” E&I is a core part of our strategic plan, and our strategic plan directs the scope of our work for the years to come.

We continue to focus time and resources to center equity in our programs, to increase access to tools and knowledge to connect with nature, and to lower barriers that were intentionally built to keep people from historically excluded communities from the outdoors.

In addition to those efforts and some of the key highlights outlined above, we have been working to build a safe and respectful culture. All of our members and guests must agree to follow our Member Code of Ethics and Standards of Participant Conduct, which outline the type of behavior we expect to foster physical and emotional safety. To support this, our Board of Directors created a Prohibited Behavior Policy and a robust Prohibited Behavior Investigation Policy. Anyone can report complaint behavior via our complaint form.

We also offer opportunities to provide anonymous feedback after every activity you participate in. Volunteers can see the feedback you share, as can their volunteer supervisor. The feedback is truly anonymous, and helps us identify what we’re doing right and what we could be doing better. You’re supporting future activities where all people feel belonging by giving your feedback after every activity.

The Mountaineers is unlike any other community. We have an unparalleled passion for our mission and values. Our dedicated volunteers are unmatched. And we still have a ways to go in making sure that every new and existing member feels welcome among our ranks - which is okay. Life is a journey and in every step we take, we should aim for our actions and intentions to yield a positive impact.”

– Tom Vogl, CEO, The Nature of Belonging

A core objective of leadership development at The Mountaineers is to meet the ongoing education needs of our volunteers, empowering them to promote a culture of belonging within our organization and beyond. We aim to ensure that anyone with the desire to learn an outdoor skill can safely do so from a Mountaineers volunteer. While we cannot guarantee that every one of our volunteer leaders will be able to foster a physically and emotionally safe environment in every one of our courses and activities, that is the bar we are striving for. To get us there, we will continue offering dozens of E&I training opportunities and resources each year (highlights include our recently launched E&I Leader Toolkit and the Emotional Safety in the Outdoors Course), and focus our efforts to lower existing barriers to participation within The Mountaineers.

What can I do as a member/volunteer to make this a more inclusive place?

As an organization reliant on a community of outdoor enthusiasts to make our mission happen, we all have a role to play in making The Mountaineers a more inclusive place where all people can see themselves and be seen. Thank you for your commitment to an inclusive outdoor experience.

Fostering a welcoming environment can be as simple as saying hello to a fellow participant. It can look like offering a ride to a trailhead, sharing your pronouns during introductions, or holding space for a land acknowledgement as part of an activity. We have dozens of E&I related resources on a variety of topics - check them out and engage with the one that is the most interesting to you. Whether the topics presented are brand new to you or if you’re a seasoned pro, it helps to be mindful of the different factors at play any time you’re in a group of people. Just having awareness can help you foster an inclusive environment. We suggest you start with the 3 Simple Steps to Get Started on Your Equity & Inclusion Journey.

A core objective of leadership development at The Mountaineers is to meet the ongoing education needs of our volunteers, empowering them to promote a culture of belonging within our organization and beyond. We aim to ensure that anyone with the desire to learn an outdoor skill can safely do so from a Mountaineers volunteer. If you’re a current or aspiring volunteer, we encourage you to complete Foundations of Leadership/Instruction and the Emotional Safety in the Outdoors eLearning courses. If you sit on a committee, ask the committee to consider requiring these courses for all committee volunteers. Check out our E&I Leader Toolkit to get ideas about how to host inclusive introductions, offer land acknowledgements, and foster belonging before, during, and after a course. Make space for your participants to help you create an environment of belonging, and view their anonymous feedback as a gift for future activities. We’re all on a learning journey together with an eye toward progress, not perfection.

How can I get involved?

The best way to get more involved in The Mountaineers E&I efforts is to join our Equity & Inclusion Community Forum. The E&I Community Forum was established in September 2018 to offer a connection and shared-learning space for our community. Administered via Basecamp, we share regular organizational updates related to E&I, ask for feedback, share key learnings, and highlight opportunities from our partner organizations. We also post here when we’re looking for new members to join our Equity & Inclusion Committee. To join, email forum manager kristinac@mountaineers.org.

You can also get involved by sharing your E&I knowledge either as a volunteer or participant. We encourage you to engage with our E&I Resources to help you deepen your personal impact.

E&I Resources

Attend an upcoming leadership training

Leadership Development Conferences – December (North Sound) and March (South Sound)

Leadership Development Series – October to April/May depending on the year.

Take an e-learning course

Engage with resources

E&I Leader Toolkit
Leadership Development Series Resources
E&I Committee Resources
Land Acknowledgement Resources
Share a new resource! We’re always open to new ideas and opportunities to learn. Join the Community Forum to share your favorite tips, tricks, and learnings.

About The Equity & Inclusion (E&I) committee

The Board of Directors has chartered a E&I Committee to oversee this work. You can learn more about our committee's vision and strategy in the recording from our April 2022 Town Hall.

Committee Members

Volunteers

Ramki Pitchuiyer, Chair and Board Representative
Dave Foong (he/him), Everett Branch, Board Representative
Meredith LaFrance (she/her), Bellingham Branch
Ashley McLoud (she/her), Everett Branch
Lisa Katzman (she/her), Olympia Branch
Esa Tilija (she/her), Seattle Branch
Anita Wilkins (she/her), Seattle Branch, Board Representative

Staff

Michelle Song (she/her), Associate Director of Leadership Development
Becca Polglase (she/her), Director of Programs & Operations
Tom Vogl (he/him), CEO