I’ve been known to spend some of my free time volunteering. I think, it’s important to give back either financially or your time, or both. I try to find opportunities to volunteer that’s a low lift for me, meaning something that’s not difficult for me to do, either in scheduling or skill.
In North Carolina, I enjoyed volunteering with refugee communities and helping create a welcoming new first home for them upon arrival. In San Francisco, I liked volunteering at the Food Bank, sorting the donated food and seeing the impact of it being delivered around the city, directly into the hands of those in need. In Seattle, I have started to volunteer for an organization called Outdoor Asian. Their mission is to create a diverse and inclusive community of Asian & Pacific Islanders in the outdoors.
This past weekend, I helped organize a snowshoe trip for 31 people of color to Mt. Rainier, we collaborated with another affinity group, Latino Outdoors and Mt. Rainier National Park for a Ranger led snowshoe trip. We were funded by a grant for the charter bus and borrowed gear from the Washington Trail Association gear library, and snowshoes were provided by the Park.
I learned about wolverines, hemlock, and the heritage of Mt. Rainier/mother of waters by Ranger Darby. I contributed to an event that made people feel safe and supported in learning a new winter activity that has not been easily accessible to a lot of communities historically. For some people, it was their first time on snowshoes, and their first time in this national park. It made me feel like my cup is full. I would have liked my first experiences in the outdoors to be guided like this – to feel welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to all.
withoutapillow 