By Alma Williams, North Cascades Institute’s Director of Inclusion and Community Partnerships

As I sit at my desk, I often think about the incredible experiences and stories shared at the inaugural Affinity Weekend at our Environmental Learning Center, which was held during The Labor Day Weekend.

The North Cascades Institute invests significant effort into finding ways to make its incredible programs more accessible to a diverse range of participants, including offering scholarships for all programs and sliding-scale tuition for Mountain School. When the opportunity arose to dedicate a Base Camp session exclusively to groups that have historically been underrepresented, the leadership team recognized the importance of making it happen. This gathering would mark the first time the Institute itself facilitated such an event *— unlike past conferences or retreats hosted by outside organizations aligned with their own missions, visions, and values.

Affinity Weekend was a practical step for the Institute to achieve our mission of inspiring environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature as well as our vision of diversifying our program participants. It was also an opportunity to provide equitable, inclusive access to its beautiful campus in the North Cascades National Park.

Affinity Weekend was successful at providing joyous opportunities for all forty-six participants from Outdoor Asian, Latino Outdoors, and some members of Outdoor Afro-Seattle.

The main goal of the gathering was simply to allow either first-time or returnee visitors the opportunity to witness the beauty of the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center with folks who looked like them. Another goal was to allow folks to do as much or as little as they wanted to do. If we want to diversify who participates in Institute programs, we have to help people feel comfortable and welcome in this outdoor setting.

On this warm, sunny weekend in September, there were scheduled activities, such as tubing on Diablo Lake, birding, karaoke, hiking in the woods and taking voyages in the Salish Dancer, the Institute’s big canoe. There was also time to simply take all the beauty in. To rest and recharge. To just be. What a vision it was to see all of that joy from folks who are normally not the majority!

As we said our goodbyes at the end of the weekend, many participants asked if there would be another Affinity Weekend, inspired by the incredible experience they’d had. It’s exciting to know that the North Cascades Institute is committed to making Affinity Weekend a regular part of its annual program schedule.

*Thank you to all of our sponsors who made this Affinity Weekend possible: Seattle City Light, Washington’s National Park Fund, National Park Conservation Association, Outdoor Asian-Washington, Outdoor Asian, Latino Outdoors, Washington Trails Association, and Seattle Parks Foundation!