Earlier this month under the crisp Arizona sky and the ambient heat of a cheatgrass-lit fire, our Executive Director, Licia Sahagun, sat in dialog with what felt like an immensely powerful group of women. Hosted by the co-founders of The Cairn Project, the first-ever Adventure Learning Summit brought together executive leadership from organizations around the country working to get girls and women outdoors. They convened to share stories, hope and inspiration as they wound through the Superstition Mountains during a three-day backpacking retreat. In attendance were founders and directors from five other non-profit organizations focused on empowering young girls and women, including Women’s Wilderness, GirlVentures, Embark, makeSPACE, and San Juan Mountain SOLES. Special guests included Gale Straub, host and producer behind She Explores, a podcast about women who are inspired by the outdoors; Sally Jewell, former Secretary of the Interior under President Obama and former CEO of REI; and Martha Wyckoff, emeritus Chair of the Board of the Trust for Public Land.

“As I soaked up the moment, I appreciated the unique ability of a campfire to draw out vulnerability, create kinship, and nourish body and mind,” said Wild Whatcom Executive Director, Licia Sahagun. “This time is so often lost in our digital era when many spend evenings in front of screens and isolated from community. This growing disconnect from the outdoors is what led each of us to the Superstition Mountains that weekend, sharing in our successes and challenges to get more people, especially female-identifying young people, outdoors. Many of us discussed the barriers we still face as women in leadership, and the progress toward accessibility still required in the outdoor industry. But the opportunity to be in fellowship, especially among mentors and inspiring leaders, was invaluable.”

Thank you to The Cairn Project for their on-going support of our mission and organization, and Sally Jewell and Martha Wyckoff for taking the time to join us. If you’d like to learn more, please visit The Cairn Project or reach out to us!