{"id":168992,"date":"2021-05-24T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-24T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=168992"},"modified":"2021-06-03T14:50:10","modified_gmt":"2021-06-03T21:50:10","slug":"damon-yeh-limitless-sides-to-outside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/climb\/damon-yeh-limitless-sides-to-outside","title":{"rendered":"Damon Yeh: Limitless Sides to Outside"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are so many ways to enjoy time outside. This is one of many unique stories we\u2019re sharing as part of our effort to highlight the\u00a0Limitless Sides to Outside<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I didn\u2019t grow up being an avid outdoorsy person. It wasn\u2019t until college that I went on my first camping trip. From\u00a0then on,\u00a0I have been actively pursuing outdoor adventures and environmental conservation.\u00a0First and foremost, I consider myself a climber, but I also enjoy hiking, camping and backpacking.\u00a0What I love most about the outdoors is the feeling of self-reliance, having the skills and technique to climb a 1,000-foot\u00a0wall or spend\u00a0three\u00a0nights in the backcountry. I also very much just appreciate being in nature and watching natural history unfurl.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am writing this amidst a national crisis of increased hate crimes against the Asian American community. Sadly, the increase in violence highlights the fact that there is still a lot of progress to be made towards a more civil and inclusive society. The events of last year have definitely made me take a step back in my outdoors pursuits. Recreating outdoors seems trivial during these times when so many issues need to be addressed. I feel a sense of guilt for going on a climbing trip when there is more to be done to fight for social justice. I also have a heightened level of anxiety with traveling these days due to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the violence against Asian Americans. I can\u2019t help but be concerned about how I will be treated while on the way to the crag or the backcountry. So far, I haven\u2019t traveled too far from home, and my partner and I keep very much to ourselves when we go on trips.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being Asian American, specifically second generation, means being caught in between two worlds. On one hand, our \u201cAmericanness\u201d is always being questioned as we are frequently asked, \u201cWhere are you really <\/em>from?\u201d On the other hand, we have lost touch with our heritage and are considered \u201ctoo Americanized\u201d by our own kin. There is constant pressure to uphold the expectations of our parents but also to attain our individualism, something that is so lauded in American society. It can be a very lonely plane of existence when you feel like you never quite fit in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, rock climbing played a big role in helping me find my identity and my community. I created the @AsianBoulderingCrew Instagram page to enable Asian Americans across the country to see each other and know that there are folx like them with similar ambitions and challenges. I want to encourage them to pursue their passions and achieve their highest potential, whether in climbing or in other pursuits.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A post shared by Asian Bouldering Crew (@asianboulderingcrew)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>