As 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.

The Shoes!

On 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!

Asexual Pride Flag

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.

Bisexual Pride Flag

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.

Lesbian Pride Flag

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.

Non-binary Pride Flag

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.

Trans Pride Flag

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.

All the Rest!

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.

Happy Pride

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!

Started in 1978 as Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, and later given the full month of May, Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month celebrates the myriad achievements, influences, and contributions of the AAPI community to our world.

Each May, we take the time to celebrate the talented and incredible people of the AAPI community. Join Sender One in learning a bit more and finding new ways to celebrate today!

AAPI Heritage in Climbing

While climbing has developed a modern reputation for being dominated by a white base of climbers, this hasn't always been the case. It is important to remember that this reputation is extremely modern and belies a rich history of indigenous climbing traditions that long predate V-grades, gyms, and popular knowledge in America.

While most of us know climbing as a sport, nowadays, many communities around the world have climbed from necessity and as a part of their culture for millennia. From the Miao in China to the Nepalese Sherpas, climbing has been an integral part of many AAPI cultures. Many climbers know that we "climb by instinct," but it's easy to forget how old the practice is. Whether climbing to bring to their final resting place those who've passed, or for the joy of seeing the world from on high, the history of climbing in the AAPI community is rich and ancient.

AAPI Climbing Follows

There's also a ton of AAPI Climbers out there right now changing the game and bringing the joys of the outdoors to a wider community. While we've only got space to highlight a few, you'll be pleasantly surprised if you follow along that many, many more people are advancing the cause of representation and spreading the joy of climbing!

Asian Bouldering Crew runs a lovely Instagram highlighting AAPI climbers, with short profiles and amazing photography that will get anyone pumped to go out to the crag today. ABC isn't afraid of necessary conversations or excellent bursts of inspiration. If you're out to find climbers who make you say "wow," their backlog is extremely worth your time to explore!

AAPI Heritage Month Events

We hope all of our community enjoys the celebrations and finds a new sense of appreciation for the beauty and strength brought to climbing and the world by the diversity of our community. Happy AAPI Heritage month!

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and we at Sender One want to take a moment out to celebrate all the moms who make our lives shine!

Many of us our moms were there not only for our first steps but our first sends! Whether teaching us to appreciate the beauty of nature, wrangling us to get to school on time, or being the support we need in hard times, moms truly make the world go 'round.

This year, we're offering you a few last-minute ideas for the perfect outing. We're also celebrating the moms of the Sender One Team (some of them who're part of the Sender One Team!) with stories of how they got us started on our journey to loving this world!

Outing Ideas

Moms of the Sender One Team!

Sheri (Nicole P's mom)

"My mom, Sheri, has always been adventurous and outdoors focused. One time my sister, my friends, and I were climbing at Pine Mountain and didn't have service. My mom and my friends' mom decided to drive up there to try to find us (which is not too easy if you're not a climber). They found us and tried bouldering outside for the first time. My mom even got to the top of some boulders! We relaxed after by drinking the bottle of tequila they brought up. It was amazing for her to go out of her way to share my passion for climbing (and tequila) with her."

- Nicole P.

Laura (Soph and Bryce's Mom)

Not only is Laura a double-mom to two members of the Sender One team, she's also a Yoga instructor at SNA! Laura passed on a life-long love of adventure and the outdoors to both of her children, with frequent trips to Yosemite, morning surfing expeditions, and of course introducing both Bryce and Soph to Sender One.

Soph will always remember the trip Laura took them on to Catalina, where they camped out in the hills and Laura read them "The Little Prince" (they now have a tattoo with a passage from the fox chapter). Bryce, meanwhile, will never forget the when, at only 11, he got pancreatitis in the middle of Yosemite and had to be hauled out through six miles of trail. Suffice to say, he was a little heavier than the average day pack. Thankfully, Laura is one of the strongest and most determined people out there!

Melody (Crystal's Mom)

"Growing up, we weren’t outdoorsy, but we visited Taiwan and a number of other countries as much as we could afford. My mom put a lot of effort into maintaining our Chinese and Taiwanese background since she only moved to the United States a couple of years before I was born. We were fortunate to be immersed in different cultures. One memory of my mom was when she came to my elementary school and taught my class how to make dumplings and how to write their favorite word in Chinese calligraphy. As a kid, this was just normal for me, but as I got older, I realized just how much effort it takes to hold on to your family’s culture especially going to American schools, dating white guys, and being within the minority. Now, I find myself looking for Chinese recipes to try that I can cook for my mom and reaching for the savory and sweet items at the Asian market that remind me of my childhood. Beyond keeping our culture alive, my mom is ultra-supportive, hilarious, and just the absolute best!"

Whether you're heading out for a hike, or staying in for a well-deserved morning in bed, Sender One wishes all the moms out there a Happy Mother's Day!