The Eugene Outdoor Collective and Elevation Bouldering Gym are teaming up with hopes of growing Eugene’s BIPOC climbing community. 

On Nov. 6, from 5:30 to 8 pm, Elevation is providing free access to the climbing gym, gear, instruction and free food for BIPOC individuals. The event is the first of a series of similar monthly meetups on the first Saturday of every month.

Elevation owner Michael Hudson collaborated on a similar event in the fall of 2020, but it was only a single-day affair. This year, in addition to the monthly meetups, Elevation will provide BIPOC individuals with a free one-month membership to the gym. The gym also plans to provide a scholarship program for those interested in buying full-time memberships after the one-month period.

“We really want to give people the opportunity to check it out, and doing that requires coming more than one time,” Hudson says.

At the forefront of the outreach effort is Indigo Amarys, a member of the Eugene Outdoor Collective. Amarys worked with Hudson on the same event last year but says she wants to create a more consistent presence to build community. She’s helped provide access to free outdoor gear for BIPOC people. She says the BIPOC community is underrepresented in the Eugene climbing scene. 

“We’re creating a climbing space that doesn’t have to be so white-dominated,” Amarys says.

For more information about the event, and to RSVP go to ElevationGym.com/bipoc or contact  Info@ElevationGym.com for general inquiries.