by Soph Fuchs | Aug 11, 2022 | Blog
the contentAs many climbers will tell you, rock climbing is not just a sport - it is also a lifestyle that places a strong emphasis on community-building and inclusivity. To celebrate the diverse individuals who make up the climbing community, The North Face has partnered with dozens of gyms all over the world, including Sender One, to host Global Climbing Day on 8/20/22. Each of our gym locations will be celebrating Global Climbing Day with $18 guest passes and unlimited guest passes for members.
Global Climbing Day is part of a broader, longer-term campaign by The North Face called "Walls Are Meant for Climbing." In spite of the negative connotations of "walls" today, this campaign reframes walls as a means of creating connection and collaboration, rather than a means of division. As rock climbing continues to expand in terms of accessibility and diversity, Global Climbing Day is an opportunity to bring together all kinds of climbers, regardless of experience level, or any other factors.
We're excited to climb with you!
For more events related to Global Climbing Day...
Global Climbing Day Sufferfest (SNA)
Sender One SNA | Saturday, August 20th | 10AM - 4PM
As part of our Global Climbing Day celebration, join us at SNA for this stamina and endurance-based rope climbing challenge! Teams of two will climb together and compete for a 1-month membership and rope for each teammate.
For more information and to sign up, click here!
Keep Climbing Climb Initiative
At Sender One, our purpose is to discover ourselves and connect with others through climbing. Our commitment to justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity is not limited to Global Climbing Day. Instead, we seek to constantly embody these ideas.
To join us in representing and upholding these values, sign the Keep Climbing Pledge here! We believe through small acts in the collectiveness of the community that big changes are able to occur.
by Soph Fuchs | Jul 1, 2022 | Blog, Outreach
the contentDear Sender One Community,
When I look at what Sender One has become over the last few years, I am extremely proud of how many women I see in positions of leadership. While I may be the most visible and most vocal, anyone that comes to a Sender One will see shift leads, supervisors, routesetters, and gym managers... all women.
Among our senior leadership, we have more women than men. I am proud of the fact that we created a place that supported these women. We gave them the financial and professional support that allowed them to start families, take as much time as they needed to be with their children, and then return to work. This has been a challenge to our business, but our core values wouldn't let us do anything less.
This would not have been possible without the foundational right of reproductive freedom. We are shocked by the recent decision by SCOTUS to eliminate this right for millions of women across the US. At the same time, we feel extremely lucky and fortunate that we are a California-based company where a woman's fundamental right to choose is not only protected and safeguarded, but is being expanded to benefit those not as lucky as we are to live in California.
We will continue to do what we are able to support the women in our community. While we cannot change this decision alone, we can and will stand in solidarity with efforts to reinstate our rights, and to make climbing an inclusive sport which respects the self-determination of every climber.
With love and gratitude,
Alice Kao
Co-Founder,CEO
by Soph Fuchs | Jun 17, 2022 | Outreach
the contentAnnouncing Sender One - Lakewood!
After 3 years of searching, we have found the ideal spot and signed a lease for what will become our 3rd Full Service Gym, in Lakewood, CA. This coming gym means a lot to our team, and represents years of hard work to bring to you. Let’s take a look at why!
Sender One Lakewood will be located at 4949 Lakewood Blvd, two miles north of the Long Beach Airport and just across the street from the Lakewood Center. With abundant shops, transit routes, and food options nearby, Lakewood makes the perfect place for locals to grab a climb and errands in the same run. At only ten minutes away from Long Beach Airport, it’s also never been easier to get some altitude before you take off to the skies.
Whether you’re a student at CSULB or a parent looking for the perfect place to keep you and the kids active, Sender One Lakewood will always be right around the corner. It won’t just be a gym to visit, but a vibrant point of gathering in the heart of a thriving community.
(Preliminary concept renderings of the entrance, with the raised-roof visible in the background!)
Sender One Lakewood will be 28,000 square feet, with routes fit for the style of every climber. (For comparison LAX has 30,000 sq. ft in floor space, and SNA main gym is 24,000). Lakewood will deliver the same top-tier Sender One and Sender City experiences you’ve come to expect, while taking our amenities and look even further!
(Preliminary concept renderings of the climbing areas; walls shown without color)
Before opening, we’ll be raising the roof to 50 feet to accommodate our new Walltopia walls! Under the new roof will be sport climbing, Sender City, briefing and party rooms, a separate Sender City weekend entrance, and even more bouldering.
With lovely, deep sightlines and myriad nooks, the space will feel both grand and full of hidden gems you’ll be eager to send.
Sender One Lakewood will ensure you can climb in comfort and style, with bathrooms, lockers, showers, SAUNAS, laundry, yoga, and fitness facilities. These amenities and enriching programs ensure that you can both grow as a climber and care for your whole self while visiting Sender One Lakewood. As with all Sender One locations, you can also look forward to plenty of community-building events that will build not just your technique but your sense of belonging.
It took us 10 years to open our first 3 gyms and grow our team to 137 people. In the next two years, we will open 3 new gyms and add 100+ new jobs. As our team grows, so too will our community of climbers. We are ecstatic to keep growing our community, on and off the wall. Our supportive culture and our vision of climbing that’s inclusive to all levels of experience and all ages are ready for the next phase of expansion.
We can’t tell you how unbelievably proud we are of Sender One and everyone who has been a part of our journey. We look forward to sending these new projects with all of you and keep showing how our shared passion is at the heart of what we’re out to achieve!
by Soph Fuchs | Jun 3, 2022 | Blog
the contentOn this year's Pride merch, you'll see a lot of colorful climbing shoes. Many folks will recognize the rainbow ones right off, but some of the others might just seem like colorful options.
Well, what if we told you each one of those little shoes was chosen to represent a different pride flag? That's right, the shoes mean things!
This year, we wanted to celebrate the many identities within the LGBTQIA+ community with our design. All of these individual flags rejoin the six-color rainbow flag of yore, reflecting the integrity and necessity of each in the broader movement while simultaneously celebrating the uniqueness of each identity.
Wow, that got art school! Let's talk about a few of the flags on the tank that also show up in our mini sticker collection!
Hey, it's the A from the acronym!
Often colloquially referred as the "Ace" community, Asexual people are often subject to a lot of misunderstanding from non-Ace people. The identity is wide, and being Ace doesn't imply a lack of love or romance in life.
Here's the B!
Bisexual folks might fall for men or women, regardless of their own gender. Many may also identify as Pansexual (also on the tank!), a distinct but related identity describing people who fall for others without regard to binary gender.
We know you didn't see it coming but. . . It's the L!
Lesbians are women who love other women. As a community, they often struggle against a particular mix of anti-gay discrimination and patriarchal norms in society. Lesbian leaders have been at the forefront of the LGBTQIA+ struggle, and modern scholars have begun showing their rich contributions to history in all domains.
No alphabet this time! If you've ever heard the word "enby" and wondered what that is, it's Non-binary! Non-binary folks' gender doesn't typically conform to "man" or "woman," and how this is expressed is extremely diverse. Non-binary people may use gender-neutral pronouns, and may seek forms of "androgyny," but may also do neither.
T time!
This may sound familiar, but Transgender is a wide term. It can include non-binary people, people whose identity transitions across the "binary" of men and women, or folks who identify as a third gender. Trans folks have been at the vanguard of the LGBTQIA+ rights struggle since its inception, taking great risks to tend to and fight for their communities in the face of rampant prejudice.
Panromantic or Pansexual? You might notice your flags on the tank too! There's a lot more we haven't even discussed. But even this tank couldn't hold every flag from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Those outside the community might wonder: why so many flags? Well, there are many flags because there are many ways that orientation, gender, and relationships overlap. Even while facing discrimination, the LGBTQIA+ community has developed a rich language for discussing these experiences. If you're just starting out on learning what a lot of this even means, well congrats! You're learning! Be open minded, kind, and willing to learn and you'll find many people happy to share about themselves.
Pride is a time of celebration, and also a time to reflect on how we as a community can support each other. We want to celebrate each and every identity, whether its on the tank or not, and to hear the needs of that community. While some aspects of society have become better for LGBTQIA+ people, many struggles remain.
As we're celebrating this year, let's all remember also to care for each other and build community. Take some time to learn about LGBTQIA+ history and voices at the LA Library, or attend a pride march in celebration or solidarity. Learn from your fellow LGBTQIA+ community members how you can support their struggles.
Take some time for joy too, and hey. . . maybe even check out the many Pride events at Sender One!
by Soph Fuchs | May 27, 2022 | Outreach
the contentMany of us have been told that mental health is a personal problem. We've been told problems arise from a lack of fortitude, or poor individual decisions. This warped view of our health harms us by making us feel inadequate and alone when our own mental health falters. Even worse, it leaves many people afflicted by mental health crises without tools to discuss their issues, unaware of where to start seeking help and education.
That's why this year's theme of "Back to Basics" is so critical. The causes of mental health issues are complex, but knowing the basics can set us on the right path to learning more about caring for ourselves and finding help when we need it.
Learning the Basics
As climbers, most of us know that the mental is as important as the physical. But that doesn't mean we're as ready to discuss frankly what it can mean to undergo a mental health issue. Let's discuss some common signs of mental health issues.
Manifestations of Mental Health Concerns
Society teaches us to look for mental health concerns only in their most dramatic manifestations. However, many conditions manifest more subtly. Some may never grow larger, some may fester for long periods only to erupt into crisis later. There is no one cause or sign of mental health issues, but some common signs of emerging and extant mental health issues are:
- Withdrawing from others
- Excessive self-doubt
- Uncontrollable fears & anxieties
- Swings between extreme highs and lows of mood
- Inexplicable physical ailments
- Anger that cannot be controlled
- Confused or muddied thinking
- Feeling unable to handle routine life
- Disruption to regular eating patterns
- Suicidal or self-harm ideation
It is important to recognize that we all may experience some of these symptoms from time to time. There is no list which can encompass all signs of mental health concerns, nor does exhibiting a symptom mean you are in impending crisis. We are complex, and so are the presentations of mental health issues.
When one recognizes symptoms of a mental health concern, it is critical to remember this is not your fault. Mental health issues are caused by a mix of environmental, social, and biological factors beyond the control of any one person. Many mental health issues even stem from material factors that no therapist or pep-talk could ever conquer on their own.
Whatever the causes, it is important to remember that you are still a wonderful and valuable part of this world. This is no race "back to healthy." You are no less worthy of love and joy if your issues persist for a long while. All of us will deal with at least some mental health issues in our lives, whether we reach a clinical diagnosis or not. Be kind to yourself and recognize that the help of others is typically necessary to see improvement in our symptoms, no matter how strong we are as individuals.
Important Factors for Maintaining Good Mental Health
- Community - Surround yourself with people who make you feel valued. This isn't always easy; it isn't a thing which happens automatically or overnight. However, a community of people who see the intrinsic value in you is critical to good mental health. No matter what we contend with, having people around who care about us and celebrate our unique journey is critical to improving our mental health.
- Environment - The places we inhabit have dramatic effects upon us. In times of trouble, seeking out space where one feels safe, calm, and capable of being themselves is critical. Because many mental health conditions are caused by external factors, a change of environment can have dramatic benefits.
- Sleep - We are magnificent creatures, but we are not always the best at remembering to get enough sleep. Work and home responsibilities can make us believe that sacrificing a few hours of shut-eye is worth a few more hours of tasking. However, the research is compelling: proper and adequate sleep is essential to maintaining our mental well-being. While it's tempting to trade sleep for some 'extra' productivity, the long-term harm this causes to our well-being makes us worse at work we do and even more tired.
- Stress - Sometimes it is essential to identify factors keeping us from healing or causing anxieties we struggle with. Stressors are incredibly diverse, from people cutting us off in traffic to loved ones we may need space from. In times of distress, reducing exposure to stressors may be difficult and provoke feelings of guilt. Still, it is essential for healing and building up our long-term resilience.
- Sharing - One of the most daunting things when facing a mental health condition, especially in crisis, is to share what's happening. Whether it's with a licensed professional or a trusted friend, sharing what's afflicting us is how we get help. Connect, trust your friends, and together we can climb out of anything downturn in life.
Resources
Getting through rough times is. . . well, rough. If you believe you may be experiencing a mental health condition, a professional and a strong web of support will always be the best options. Meditation, exercise, and the tips above go far, but there's moments we need more.
Crisis Resources
We've all had hard days where we need a some serious beta. These resources are always available, when things get hard.
- Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (800) 854- 7771 - 24/7 Mental Health resources and referrals hotline. More here.
- Orange County Department of Mental Health - Portal with numerous referral resources, including crisis resources. More.
- Trevor Project Lifeline (800) 788-7386 - Support for LGBTQ Youth in need of crisis help or guidance. Chat and more available here.
- National Suicide Prevetion Hotline (800) 273-8255 - Free and confidential crisis and prevention, available nationwide. More.
