{"id":34374,"date":"2025-06-17T17:46:50","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T20:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/exclusion-trails-racism-and-inequality-in-outdoor-activities\/"},"modified":"2025-07-03T19:10:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-03T22:10:43","slug":"exclusion-trails-racism-and-inequality-in-outdoor-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/exclusion-trails-racism-and-inequality-in-outdoor-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"Exclusion Trails: Racism and Inequality in Outdoor Activities"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The mountaineer Aretha Duarte gained media attention in 2021 when she became the first Black Latin American woman to climb Mount Everest. Behind this grand and challenging personal achievement, Aretha had a goal: to expand opportunities in nature activities for both Black people and also for women.<\/p>\n<p>Raised in the poor area, in suburbs of Campinas, Aretha was the first in her family to attend college, which for her represented breaking a structure. During her degree in physical education\u2014a course she chose because she believes in sports as an educational tool\u2014Aretha attended a lecture about mountaineering.<\/p>\n<p>The guide and athlete was 25 when she felt a mix of emotions upon discovering the sport: \u201cI was upset because it was the first time I had ever heard of mountaineering, but at the same time happy because finally I had the chance to access a nature sport that seemed really interesting. I got excited about practicing trekking and expeditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>To follow this path, Aretha asked for a job at the company that gave the lecture and entered the mountaineering world professionally. \u201cIt took some resilience for me to be accepted in that environment. I started as a saleswoman, but I wanted to be out in the field. I began working as an assistant guide in Brazil and abroad, and finally became a high-altitude specialist guide.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/everest-base-camp-2025-foto-gabriel-tarso.webp\" alt=\"Basecamp do Everest, 2025. Foto: Gabriel Tarso.\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/everest-base-camp-2025-foto-gabriel-tarso.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/everest-base-camp-2025-foto-gabriel-tarso-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/everest-base-camp-2025-foto-gabriel-tarso-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Everest Basecamp, April 2025 &#8211; Photo: Gabriel Tarso<\/p>\n<p>Since then, Aretha has continued to actively inspire others. Her purpose is to impact and transform lives through inclusion. \u201cToday, I have visibility within this niche, but I am not interested in being the only one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Like Aretha, Ariel Silva, who has summited 8 of Brazil\u2019s 10 highest mountains, as well as feats in Argentine Patagonia and Venezuela, does not want to be seen as an exception. His wish is to serve as an example and inspiration for the Black community. \u201cI don\u2019t like being seen as a young Black man who does outdoor activities. I want to be Ariel the climber, who hikes and, through that, shows young Black people without resources that it is possible,\u201d says Ariel, born in the Mar\u00e9 community in Rio de Janeiro, a tour guide and founder of the <a href=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/parceiros\/montanha-sagrada\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Montanha Sagrada no Gear Tips Club\">Montanha Sagrada (Holy Mountain) agency <\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-el-chalten-patagonia.webp\" alt=\"Ariel Silva, em El Chalt\u00e9n - Patag\u00f4nia\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34203\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-el-chalten-patagonia.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-el-chalten-patagonia-272x300.webp 272w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-el-chalten-patagonia-928x1024.webp 928w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-el-chalten-patagonia-768x848.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Ariel Silva &#8211; El Chalt\u00e9n &#8211; Argentine Patagonia<\/p>\n<h2>What Prevents the Inclusion of Black People in Outdoor Activities<\/h2>\n<p>As contradictory as it may seem, in a country like Brazil, where the majority of the population is Black or mixed race, many nature activities like mountaineering are still dominated by white men with a traditionalist view, according to Carla Rom\u00e3o, mountaineer, social scientist, and technical director of CERJ (Clube Excursionista Rio de Janeiro \u2013 one of the clubs affiliated with FEEMERJ).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur biggest challenge within this racial perspective, in my view, has been sharing this space. If I\u2019m in an environment where not even half or a third are Black people, that environment has a very serious problem,\u201d says Carla.<\/p>\n<p>Access to mountaineering, climbing, and trekking is limited to specific groups due to socio-economic and cultural factors, according to Aretha Duarte. Her journey to Everest was a call to build bridges between companies, governments, and civil society to create more inclusive opportunities. \u201cI understand it is everyone\u2019s responsibility\u2014not just the Black person\u2019s. They also want it, but the opportunity does not reach them, which makes it difficult to practice these activities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For sociologist Denilson Silva, one of the founders of Negritude Outdoor, broadly understanding all the barriers that prevent the inclusion of Black people, those from the outskirts, and women in activities traditionally led by heterosexual white men is crucial for real awareness. \u201cWe tend to believe that solving one branch solves everything, and then you create a problematic tree. You have to look at the whole.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Socio-Economic Barrier: A Democratic Obstacle in the Mountains<\/h2>\n<p>Diego Cruz grew up in the city of Franco da Rocha, in the state of S\u00e3o Paulo. At the time, it had plenty of green areas where he played with friends. His connection with outdoor activities came from a desire to change his lifestyle at age 24. On his first hike, at Cachoeira da Pedra Furada in Mogi Mirim, Diego reconnected with the nature he experienced in childhood.<\/p>\n<p>There, a dream was born: to climb Pico dos Marins. But Diego soon faced challenges like investing in gear and logistics. \u201cWhen I started thinking about the tent, shoes, food I\u2019d have to bring, I thought about giving up. But at the time, I met some hiking groups and adapted to my reality. I didn\u2019t have a sleeping bag but improvised blankets. I wanted to make it happen,\u201d says the founder of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/okeaventura\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Instagram da ag\u00eancia OK\u00ca Aventura\" rel=\"noopener\">OK\u00ca Aventura agency<\/a> and vice-president of <i>FEMESP (Federa\u00e7\u00e3o de Montanhismo do Estado de S\u00e3o Paulo)<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>On the adapted Marins x Itaguar\u00e9 Crossing, Diego faced a direct racism incident. \u201cI heard someone in the group say, \u2018that\u2019s Black people stuff,\u2019 which made me and everyone uncomfortable. It triggered a lot of feelings. It\u2019s very sad to think you can\u2019t do things just because you can\u2019t afford an expensive brand sleeping bag.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/diego-cruz.webp\" alt=\"Diego Cruz\" width=\"800\" height=\"996\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34206\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/diego-cruz.webp 800w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/diego-cruz-241x300.webp 241w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/diego-cruz-768x956.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Diego Cruz<\/p>\n<p>One of the main barriers to Black people participating in outdoor activities is the socio-economic factor, since equipment is expensive and many places are hard to reach, explains Ariel Silva. \u201cA backpack costs as much as someone\u2019s monthly rent. A climbing rope equals two minimal wages per month. While some people have the best backpacks, many use the same one they use for work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to Ariel, this challenge naturally separates people and, worse, can generate aversion to nature activities. \u201cWhen you feel inferior because of simpler gear, you might quit and go back to football. How can I pay for a climbing course and not buy food? I had to learn by trial and error, putting myself at risk, and through that, I keep encouraging others,\u201d says Ariel.<\/p>\n<p>Carla Rom\u00e3o offers an important reflection about the experiences of Diego and Ariel, the occupation of natural environments, and prejudice in the mountains when faced with socio-economic barriers. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy to think about how the sport is organized. It\u2019s a European model, but traditional communities, like as Quilombola (is a Brazilian hinterland settlement founded by people of African origin), and Indigenous communities have practiced what we call mountaineering since time immemorial. This imported model creates a profile. When you see Black people not so well-equipped in the mountains, you tend to think they don\u2019t belong there. But the space is theirs too.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Diego Cruz continues to dream big, but still faces challenges. After enrolling in a high-altitude course with the <i>Clube Paraense de Montanhismo<\/i>, he was selected for an expedition in Passo de S\u00e3o Francisco, Argentina. But again, he ran into financial obstacles. This time, he\u2019s turning to friends and got support from <i>GPM (Grupo Paulista de Montanhismo)<\/i>, which will help with equipment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI, a Black man from the slum, who grew up around people without this culture, was lucky to meet people who saw my determination and helped me. Without that, maybe I would never have even become a professional in this area.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Invisibility, Lack of Welcoming, and a Sense of Not Belonging<\/h2>\n<p>Even today, the lack of welcoming and sense of belonging bother Ariel Silva in his personal and professional outdoor activities, causing constant pain. \u201cWhen you\u2019re in a place where the overwhelming majority are white people, they don\u2019t value you until you prove you\u2019re capable. Breaking this recognition barrier is very hard. You\u2019ll face many blocks. That is my place, but when you feel you don\u2019t belong there, it\u2019s very sad, and many times you feel like leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva.webp\" alt=\"Ariel Silva\" width=\"800\" height=\"951\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva.webp 800w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-252x300.webp 252w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ariel-silva-768x913.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Ariel Silva<\/p>\n<p>The lack of visibility was also an issue for Aretha Duarte before conquering Everest\u2019s summit: \u201cBefore, I\u2019d arrive somewhere and people wouldn\u2019t necessarily recognize me as the expedition leader, because usually guides aren\u2019t women, let alone black women. They think: \u2018How did she have the time and means to prepare and specialize in this?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another discomfort for the mountaineer is looking around and not seeing other Black people in the group. \u201cWhen I guide clients in the mountains, there is rarely a Black person. That\u2019s the clearest example of racism in the mountains,\u201d says Aretha. This feeling also makes Denilson Silva from Negritude Outdoor uncomfortable: \u201cI keep thinking: \u2018Why am I the only one who can be there? Why am I the only one who has a Saturday off to do a hike?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Carla Rom\u00e3o, this barrier is linked to silent exclusion, not direct prejudice, but subtle behavior. \u201cYou let the person join a club, for example, participate in activities, but subtly you create situations where that individual doesn\u2019t feel comfortable. I have experienced this symbolic exclusion; it\u2019s a kind of subtlety that tells you that you\u2019re not welcome there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The mountaineer stresses that many people stay out of insistence, out of resistance, but sometimes wonder if they should keep going. \u201cThe way they push you out affects your individuality, but at the same time you want to be in the mountains. You can count on one hand the Black people in clubs. Many don\u2019t even question their absence,\u201d says Carla, who decided to join CERJ when she saw Z\u00e9, Black man with an Afro at the club\u2019s door. \u201cWhen I saw Z\u00e9, I felt welcomed because there was someone who looked like me in that space. He welcomed me just by existing. I decided that was my place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/carla-romao-travessia-bariloche.webp\" alt=\"Carla Rom\u00e3o em uma travessia em Bariloche\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34212\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/carla-romao-travessia-bariloche.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/carla-romao-travessia-bariloche-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/carla-romao-travessia-bariloche-768x576.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Carla Rom\u00e3o during a hike in Bariloche<\/p>\n<p>Carla emphasizes the need to broaden the inclusion debate among responsible bodies to make outdoor activities accessible to all. \u201cWhen we talk about the racial perspective in mountain environments, federations, and associations must set guidelines. We cannot ignore that sports in Brazil cannot be white; they must be at least multiracial to include all the experiences of people living in the Brazilian context. All research shows that inclusion in sports improves our outlook on life.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Lack of Representation in the Outdoor Market and Media<\/h2>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cI always hear that the mountain is for everyone, but that\u2019s not true. For a long time, we didn\u2019t see representation, whether of professionals or in the media. It was always white people, mostly men, because they had parents who took them to these places since they were kids,\u201d Diego Cruz<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n<p>Another reason that distances the Black population from nature activities is indirectly practiced by advertising and the media. The lack of Black models in store catalogs and stories of leadership in news outlets creates distance and lack of identification. \u201cNo one says that this is not a place for Black people, but I feel that a store without Black models does not represent me,\u201d says Ariel.<\/p>\n<p>The guide says he also feels frustrated when researching a destination, as the stories are always told by white people. \u201cRarely young Black people from the slums are protagonists. We need to encourage these people to tell their stories so that others can see that it\u2019s possible, that strength comes from within. We need to be more visible. Virtual and in-person exposure is the way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Aretha, the lack of Black representation in mountain environments is reproduced in casual conversations, on social media, and in the media. Unfortunately, according to the athlete, photo searches in image banks for climbers and mountaineers are always the same \u2014 a white man. Never a woman, much less a Black woman. Not even a Black man.<\/p>\n<p>Many posts and opinions published on social media also contribute to the lack of representation and the spread of racism in the outdoor environment. Aretha recalls a sad episode that happened on her own social media, when she proposed a reflection on climbing Everest being a racist activity. The post went viral, and heavy criticism came from misinformed and ill-intentioned people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany people questioned why the mountain was racist and not democratic, since it \u2018allows\u2019 you to be there. Yes, it is there for everyone, but the big issue is access to be there. The way society is structured does not allow equality of access and opportunity. That is the main issue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The episode made Aretha realize how behind we are in understanding the historical and cultural context of our roots and the achievements of the Black community. \u201cThere are people who still don\u2019t understand the limitations that have existed for hundreds of years and cannot comprehend that Black people have been trying for 500 years to reach the same kind of rise and occupation that was given to white people in the past. There is a lot of history to study.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>How to Encourage the Inclusion of Black People in Outdoor Activities<\/h2>\n<h3>Negritude Outdoor: Connections and Visibility for Black People<\/h3>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cThe main role of Negritude Outdoor was to create a support network to know what\u2019s happening, to show that we exist, what we need to do to protect ourselves from racial distancing practices or racism. A place for people to breathe, doing what they love with people they love,\u201d Denilson Silva.<\/strong><\/em><br \/>\nDenilson Silva and Leo Ferreira founded <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/negritudeoutdoor\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Instagram do Negritude Outdoor\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Negritude Outdoor<\/i><\/a> after a conversation about Black representation in outdoor activities. \u201cAt that moment, a bell rang that I knew few people. Some family members do these activities, but even my outings were with white people. We started looking, and it was hard to find Black people. In a country with such a large percentage of Black and mixed-race people, not finding characters easily was really weird.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Today, <i>Negritude Outdoor<\/i> connects Black people from all over Brazil to hike together and promotes discussions and lectures on racial topics. \u201cOn our outings, while we hike, we bring up our issues. When we stop for a snack, we talk about our work and other topics as Black people. The trail is the place we like to be, but nature becomes another place. There, we feel at ease.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/negritude-outdoor.webp\" alt=\"Negritude Outdoor\" width=\"800\" height=\"731\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/negritude-outdoor.webp 800w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/negritude-outdoor-300x274.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/negritude-outdoor-768x702.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Photo: Negritude Outdoor collection<\/p>\n<p>Diego Cruz is a member of <i>Negritude Outdoor<\/i> and emphasizes the need to bring mountain culture to those who don\u2019t have access. \u201cWhen we organize in groups and encourage nature activities, we bring visibility to people who don\u2019t know the outdoor world. The goal is for them to see it and think, \u2018why can\u2019t I?\u2019 That way, we break some barriers. The space created by Negritude Outdoor is safe, where we talk about our worldviews, experiences, and uncomfortable situations we\u2019ve faced.\u201d<br \/>\nNegritude Outdoor also has a hub that gathers outdoor professionals \u2014 a way to connect enthusiasts to Black guides and promote their work. \u201cOn our outings, there\u2019s a constant reflection: many Black people don\u2019t join well-known hiking groups because they think it\u2019s too different from their race and social class reality, and this creates a block. They see destinations in the media but don\u2019t see themselves in these groups. So they look for groups with more black people and don\u2019t find them, which creates another block. And then the person never goes again. Negritude Outdoor promotes this connection.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Urban Climbing Center: Climbing as a Foundation for Transforming Lives<\/h3>\n<p>The  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/escaladaurbana\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Instagram do Centro de Escalada Urbana (C.E.U)\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Centro de Escalada Urbana (C.E.U)<\/i><\/a> \u2014 Urban Climbing Center \u2014  is a community initiative created in 2010 to make climbing accessible to young people from Rio de Janeiro communities. Through sport, the project has transformed the lives of hundreds of young people aged 13 to 17.<\/p>\n<p>Leading C.E.U today is Katia Agatha, 21, who had her first contact with the project at 16 through a holiday camp \u2014 her entry point to becoming a regular student and later a young instructor.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana.webp\" alt=\"Centro de Escalada Urbana (C.E.U)\" width=\"800\" height=\"670\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34216\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana.webp 800w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana-300x251.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana-768x643.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">\n<p>Photo: Urban Climbing Center (C.E.U) collection<\/p>\n<p>Katia dreamed of studying social sciences and had her life changed by the project. \u201cI was really discouraged, thinking college wasn\u2019t for me. I live in the Turano community in Rio de Janeiro and always went to public school at night. That reality was very far from me, and I questioned why I should dream.\u201d Encouraged by the coordinator at the time, Katia took a community prep course and realized it was possible to follow new paths. \u201cC.E.U changed my thinking and how I saw myself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As the current project coordinator, Katia works directly with students and their parents, understanding their needs. In addition to organizing climbing classes at a gym in Botafogo (a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro), she leads cultural, sports, and environmental outings and workshops that introduce young people to new professions. The project also offers a basic rock climbing course with certification and includes new climbers in festivals and competitions in various states.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClimbing is the gateway to work on other issues that are part of young people\u2019s lives. Sport is a catalyst. We want young people to get to know their city better and understand they can go everywhere. We plan outings based on what they ask for, thinking about what would be interesting for them to explore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana-02.webp\" alt=\"Centro de Escalada Urbana (C.E.U)\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34219\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana-02.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana-02-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ceu-centro-escalada-urbana-02-768x576.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Photo: Centro de Escalada Urbana (C.E.U) archive<\/p>\n<p>Through its activities and Katia\u2019s inspiration, C.E.U\u2019s mission is to help young people not give up on their dreams. \u201cMany don\u2019t know how to answer what their dream is or lower their expectations to match their reality. Through climbing, discovering new places, we show them they can occupy other spaces and do many things. C.E.U strengthened me, and we want to multiply that strength.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Favela Radical: Nature Sports as a Tool for Inclusion and Prevention<\/h3>\n<p><em><strong>\u201cNature transformed my life, and today I transform lives by fulfilling my dream. I believe a different world is possible because we have natural resources as a work tool.\u201d \u2014 Jefferson Quirino.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/favelaradical\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Instagram do Favela Radical\" rel=\"noopener\">Favela Radical<\/a> crosses paths with the life story of its founder. Born and raised in Morro do Turano, Jefferson Quirino had a troubled adolescence, went through the prison system, and experienced the scarcity of opportunities in the community.<\/p>\n<p>In 2010, after leaving prison for the last time, he decided to break the cycle once and for all. He worked at <i>Jornal do Brasil<\/i> and, while researching the local archive about his community, felt uncomfortable. \u201cI wanted to see how the newspapers covered my territory\u2019s reality. I realized they only talked about violence and negative things. I thought: \u2018This is Turano, the favela where Jorge Ben Jor (a famous Black Brazilian musician) was born \u2014 how can they only talk about crime?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The turning point for changing his life \u2014 and years later, his community \u2014 came in 2014. A surfer friend just back from France gave him a surfboard as a gift. There, Jefferson understood he had a powerful tool to redefine his reality and that of others. The idea of creating a social project took shape after he worked at SESI, during a pacification process, and gained knowledge about his community\u2019s social demands.<\/p>\n<p>In 2017, Favela Radical was born, offering surfing, climbing, and skateboarding lessons, and has impacted more than 700 children and young people aged 7 to 17. \u201cThe project was created to develop sports in the favela and ensure stories like mine are no longer repeated. It stops being reparative and becomes preventive. We radically transform our territory in a radical favela, in a revolutionary way, offering activities and actions uncommon in these places. Here, the residents are protagonists.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-01.webp\" alt=\"Favela Radical\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-01.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-01-300x225.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-01-768x576.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Photo: Favela Radical archive<\/p>\n<p>Jefferson says climbing has always been present in the favela, but in an unstructured way. The project gave young people the opportunity for equipment, safety, and guidance to properly develop an organic skill. \u201cSince childhood, they climb walls chasing kites, trees for fruit. From a sports perspective, climbing can be seen as elitist, but practically, it\u2019s 100% democratic.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Besides using the climbing wall installed in the community, Turano\u2019s youth also have outdoor experiences through an ecosystem of partners created by Favela Radical. \u201cC.E.U is our big sponsor, and we use their gym. Aretha Duarte is our ambassador, and Outward Bound Brasil (OBB) organizes socio-emotional experiences in nature for our youth, with the <a href=\"https:\/\/outwardbound.org.br\/azimute\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Projeto Azimute da OBB\" rel=\"noopener\">Projeto Azimute<\/a>. Earlier this year, we did a trekking expedition in Serra da Mantiqueira (in S\u00e3o Paulo state) and soon 15 kids will go canoeing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-2.webp\" alt=\"Favela Radical\" width=\"800\" height=\"1067\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-2.webp 800w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-2-225x300.webp 225w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/favela-radical-2-768x1024.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Photo: Favela Radical archive<\/p>\n<p>Environmental education is also a strong pillar in Favela Radical\u2019s curriculum, reinforcing the concept of minimal impact. \u201cWe need the sea, trails, and squares clean, without illegal waste disposal. The kids learn that environmental preservation applies to all areas of life, like proper garbage disposal at home and the school cafeteria. We show them that a candy wrapper thrown on the street ends up in the sea, a plastic cup on the trail harms animals, and that, on the other hand, if disposed of correctly, waste can become trophies and surfboards.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By transforming his own life, Jefferson continues his dream of impacting more people with his experience, dedication, and attention to the new generation. \u201cNature has no color, no social status, and doesn\u2019t care about your ZIP code. I like to see it as a welcoming, transformative, and healing space. If people knew its impact on our lives, in every sense, they wouldn\u2019t question whether they should be there or not. They would just be.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Aretha Duarte\u2019s Work to Inspire Young People<\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>\u201cI truly believe in activating a power I call raw inner power, which for me is the potential to dream and achieve. Activating the potential each of us has to accomplish great things.\u201d \u2014 Aretha Duarte.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>To turn her achievements into collective results and bring opportunities to more people, Aretha Duarte, in addition to supporting Favela Radical and OBB\u2019s Projeto Azimute, is an ambassador for <i>P\u00e9s Livres<\/i> (Free foots) in Tanzania, founded by Brazilians to support local children and youth.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-favela-radical-obb-foto-albelardo-walsh.webp\" alt=\"Favela Radical, Aretha Duarte e OBB - Foto: Abelardo Walsh\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34228\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-favela-radical-obb-foto-albelardo-walsh.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-favela-radical-obb-foto-albelardo-walsh-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-favela-radical-obb-foto-albelardo-walsh-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Aretha Duarte, Favela Radical and Outward Bound Brasil &#8211; Photo: Abelardo Walsh<\/p>\n<p>In 2023, the mountaineer built a sustainable open and free climbing wall in Parque Linear do Mingone, in Jardim do Capivari, the outskirts of Campinas, where she was born, raised, and still lives. \u201cSome people don\u2019t believe in their potential because of lack of opportunities, structure, social, economic, educational, or health issues. But as we lead these people to access sports or education, they feel more empowered, more like they belong, and more capable of living this amazing life full of opportunities, especially in nature. My motivation is to give access opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-duarte-parede-escalada-foto-rosita-belinky.webp\" alt=\"Aretha Duarte e a parede de escalada sustent\u00e1vel em Campinas. Foto: Rosita Berlinky\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34231\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-duarte-parede-escalada-foto-rosita-belinky.webp 800w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-duarte-parede-escalada-foto-rosita-belinky-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-duarte-parede-escalada-foto-rosita-belinky-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/aretha-duarte-parede-escalada-foto-rosita-belinky-768x768.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">Sustainable climbing wall in Campinas\/SP. Photo: Rosita Belinky<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, during Black Consciousness Month, Aretha led an exclusive expedition for Black people to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. \u201cIt was a proposition to allow Black people from Brazil to practice high-mountain activities abroad, precisely because I didn\u2019t want to be the only one.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>The Sankofa Expedition \u2014 which means \u201creturn to ancestry\u201d \u2014 was an opportunity not only to climb but to immerse the group in Tanzanian culture, a chance to reconnect ancestrally with their history. \u201cWe felt at ease, among brothers and sisters, as Black people. We understood the value of identity, belonging, and beauty. We came back fulfilled, uplifted, and empowered, proud of our history and who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/kilimanjaro-nov-2024-foto-gabriel-tarso.webp\" alt=\"Expedi\u00e7\u00e3o ao Kilimanjaro em 2024 - Foto: Gabriel Tarso\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-34234\" srcset=\"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/kilimanjaro-nov-2024-foto-gabriel-tarso.webp 1024w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/kilimanjaro-nov-2024-foto-gabriel-tarso-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/kilimanjaro-nov-2024-foto-gabriel-tarso-768x512.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"imagem-nota\">At Kilimanjaro, in 2024. Photo: Gabriel Tarso.<\/p>\n<p>By inspiring and empowering people through her work and strength, Aretha sets an example for everyone to do their part in promoting inclusion. \u201cThe responsibility is on all of us. We can encourage people to always foster mountaineering however they can, whether by leading an activity they know, investing in social projects, buying a mug, a raffle ticket to support the projects, or contributing to a crowdfunding campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aretha emphasizes that inclusion and diversity benefit the whole of society. \u201cThat way, we\u2019re all connected to promote a better world, ensuring a future with collective results. So, I\u2019d like to invite everyone to this co-responsibility. The world and the change we want to depend on all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>\u2018I Want to Bring Climbing to the Vila Ol\u00edmpica neighborhood\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>As a final message, guide and mountaineer Ariel Silva encourages Black people to believe in the enormous strength they carry in building their paths and stresses that honoring their stories and daily efforts is as important as the technical skills to be in nature activities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I face a challenge in the mountains, I close my eyes and see how strong I am for everything I\u2019ve been through and what people in my community go through. I can see myself in all of them. My strength is in these images: I see the favela where I was born and the people I can\u2019t bring with me. That energy drives me and makes me pursue what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And what he wants is huge: to bring climbing to the Vila Ol\u00edmpica neighborhood and train guides from the outskirts. But facing financial challenges, he does what he can \u2014 and it\u2019s not little. Once a month, Ariel teaches a climbing course for people from the community and takes them into nature with subsidies within the client groups he guides.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The mountaineer Aretha Duarte gained media attention in 2021 when she became the first Black Latin American woman to climb Mount Everest. Behind this grand and challenging personal achievement, Aretha had a goal: to expand opportunities in nature activities for both Black people and also for women. Raised in the poor area, in suburbs of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3586,"featured_media":34239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1333],"tags":[1724,1723],"class_list":["post-34374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reflection","tag-inequality","tag-society"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3586"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34374"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34375,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34374\/revisions\/34375"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/geartips.club\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}