AMGA Advanced Alpine Guide Course BIPOC fund!

This year, for my birthday, (June 1) I was thinking of a saying I once heard about gifts: "The best gift to give is the one you'd want for yourself - the hardest to give away!" I am a guide in training, and my next round of coursework is in the Alpine discipline. I thought to myself "Why not try to gift an AMGA Advanced Alpine Guides Course/Aspirant Exam to someone who would really need it and who would add balance to the mountains?" Thus, the Advanced Alpine Guide Course BIPOC fundraiser was borne!

I have only a few weeks to try and raise a minimum of $5000.00. This is the cost of one Advanced Alpine Guide Course/Aspirant Exam through the AMGA + ~15% to help with some travel costs. It's an ambitious goal for sure... but if 200 of my friends pitch in $25.00 - we'd meet this goal easily.

Info on the AMGA:

AMGA WEBSITE

I want to gift these funds to a guide colleague from the BIPOC community. There is really great funding for the intro level courses through AMGA scholarship programs designed to support BIPOC AMGA members, but I want to support an advanced level course for a fellow guide in training. Note: Outdoor Prolink and Patagonia have stepped up this year with BIPOC specific funding (up to $2,000.00) for any discipline- it pays for almost half of an AAGC. I'd love to see the positive potential of community help me on my birthday wish to support a full course tuition.

Curious about what the Advanced Alpine Guide Course/Aspirant Exam entails?

Check out these videos:

My buddy Jeffrey Mascaro describes his experience here: Jeff's AAGC/AE

Great stuff from Bryan Smith: Bryan's Video

The venerable Mark Smiley created this video to portray the previous version of the final exam experience, which Assistant Alpine Guides are eligible upon passing their Advanced Alpine Guide Course/Aspirant Exam: Mark's video on the Alpine exam

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Either way we cut it, many of the voices of authority on this topic present as cisgender white men - which, let's not be confused - some incredible mountain heroes and professionals. There is undeniable gold in their contributions to the world of alpinism - hands down.

Where are the Indigenous professionals who are graciously patient as we learn what it means to recreate in their sacred lands... and still show up to take AMGA courses along side of a mostly settler audience! The Asian American/Asian heritage pros out there, pushing their skills to show up to these opportunities? The BiPOC bolt clippers who put up rope so hard and equally powerful on the snow and ice. Our guide friends who romp in the alpine - and get it done....

It would be cool to see them one day with AMGA Instructor Team positions - only possible through exam completion in the AMGA. We can diversify mountain professional leadership.

Thanks for listening...

I will create an equitable process for selecting the recipient of this gift tuition money, which will involve formulating a panel of people familiar with this topic to help me sift through applications. From what I understand, because you, the donor are giving of your cash freely for nothing but amazing support and karma points, this money is not taxable for the recipient. It may also not be a deduction for you...

If you have questions, feel free to text, call, email, or message me!

All best,

Kevin Shon