Greening Youth Foundation

Update: The Full Circle Team reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 12, 2022.  We thank you for all the support and love that we have received from the community.
 
The full circle expedition will make history as the first Black climbing team to attempt to summit the highest mountain on earth. As of 2020,there have been more than 10,000 summits of the mountain. To our knowledge, only 10 Black climbers have stood on the top of Everest. This expedition will permanently change the future of mountaineering on a global scale.

Our team represents our community and are building blocks for greater representation of the climbing community and the outdoors. As a team we are strong and supportive of each other. In preparation for the expedition, we are climbing and training together.

A trip like this is out of reach for many in our community. We need to secure $50,000 of the overall budget by October 1st, 2021, to obtain permits and our support team members for the spring of 2022. With your help seeding this project, we can show the power and value in Black stories.

Whatever amount you are able to contribute helps us move forward with this project. Please post or share this link and follow along on the journey @fullcircleeverest on Instagram. We thank you and we love you.

The impact of this expedition will resonate long after its completion and will continue to highlight the importance of representation in the outdoors.

This expedition is an obvious next step for each of our team members. It will showcase the tenacity, strength, skill, and experience our team members have gained and displayed to reach this point in their careers—despite very little representation of our community.

We care about the Himalayan landscape and the Sherpa people who steward the lands in the Khumbu region. Phil Henderson, the trip leader, has made many trips to the region over the past 2 decades and has prioritized getting to know families and the community. Full Circle hopes to strengthen the connection between that community and ours, while learning from and reciprocating their hospitality.

The vision of this project stems from our collective love for nature and climbing. This vision is unique and comes from a perspective that is seldom seen or heard. This is a step in the right direction to build a stronger, more resilient future.

Why are we crowdsource funding?

This isn’t just about getting to the top. It’s about culture, community and process. While we care immensely about the goal, we want to share the journey with you. We are training together, planning, and hope to carry these lessons into our broader communities. We care about protecting access to nature, connecting to each other for support and uplifting our voices collectively. Every step of this process matters as much as the end goal and we’d love your help in seeing it fully realized! Now, more than ever, is a time to build bridges and center joy and resilience.

Everest is not the end goal, but just the beginning. Our expedition will reshape the narrative of the outdoors to one that is inclusive and where everyone belongs. Each member of this team has a powerful story to share. Together, we speak to many histories, traditions, and ancestries. We’d love to use this GoFundMe as a way to be in conversation with you. With community behind us we believe that we can create lasting change.

Meet the Team

Manoah Ainuu - Bozeman @adreadedclimber

Fred Campbell - Seattle @fred_climbs

Abby Dione - Ft. Lauderdale @playswithmountains

Phil Henderson - Colorado @phil_henderson

KG Kagambi - Kenya

Thomas Moore - Denver @thomasdmoore

Dom Mullens - New York @domthesoulifugid

Rosemary Saal - Seattle @ everywhere. rose

Eddie Taylor - Boulder @alldayeddie

 

Full Circle has partnered with the Greening Youth Foundation for this project.

More information about Greening Youth Foundation Inc: The Organization Works With Diverse Youth And Young Adults By Connecting Them To Nature And Conservation Careers Through The Following Programming: Public School Initiative (Environmental Education & Wellness Program), Youth Conservation Corps (Engage Federal Land Management Agencies And Provide With Interns) And Urban Youth Corps (Workforce Development).