Climbing phenom Kai Lightner; Photograph courtesy Travis Wills
The acquittal of George Zimmerman should not escape the interest of the outdoor recreation community. Like most of us I couldn?t immediately assign any relevance to the horrible death of Trayvon Martin and the world of adventure, but there are indeed several pertinent factors to consider when a gunman masquerading as a ?neighborhood watch volunteer? stalks, confronts, and kills an unarmed teenager as he walked home alone in the rain. A jury of his peers declared Zimmerman not guilty of 2nd degree murder and manslaughter. Under current Florida law justice, as they say, was served. But it wasn?t until I witnessed the reaction of a friend, the African-American mother of a 13-year-old rock climbing prodigy, that I put into perspective for me the genuine tragedy of this crime that will go unpunished.
My specialty in outdoor recreation not withstanding, as a person of color, the particular nature of this case demands from me a thoughtful response. As a writer of travel and adventure stories, I believe that at the heart of this topic is the reasonable expectation of free thinking people to safely venture from one place to another without fear of someone believing that they might be ?up to no good.? The outdoor industry is all about getting people to journey outside their comfort zone and explore the unknown. And though this case might seem to have nothing to do with outdoor recreation I believe that those of us in the business should take a look at the implications of what just happened in our society.
Though we could have learned from Trayvon?s death, as a society, that you can?t judge people by their appearance and take lethal action because you feel that you?re being threatened when no real risk exists. Instead black mothers and fathers are being made to caution their children, especially their sons, to fear those they encounter as people who might do them harm. I?m concerned that their fear will inhibit African-American youth from venturing to places or seeking out experiences where they believe for whatever reason that they don?t belong.
In recent weeks I?ve had the pleasure of getting to know Kai Lightner. At 13, he?s doing amazing things in the world of sport climbing. This spring Kai successfully ascended Southern Smoke (5.14c) and Transworld Depravity (5.14a) two particularly hard sport routes in the Red River Gorge of Kentucky. On the same two-week road trip, he climbed Proper Soul (5.14a) in the New River Gorge, West Virginia. I wrote about him in the August/September issue of Rock & Ice Magazine. And just last week Kai took his fourth champion title at the national Sport Climbing Series in Atlanta, Georgia. This summer he?ll climb for the U.S. in the Youth World Sport Climbing Championship in Vancouver, British Columbia.
?I?ve waited a long time for this,? Kai told me in a phone conversation. ?Ever since I started climbing I?ve always wanted to be in a world championship. The fact that I get to compete in it now is really overwhelming.?
With the support of his mother my friend Constance Lightner, a professor of Management Science at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, Kai is on track to fulfill the fondest dream of his young life. After many years of hard work and discipline he?s earned the respect of his coaches, teammates, fellow competitors and a growing number of journalists. Smart, articulate, polite and a straight-A student this young climber epitomizes the very best that America?s youth has to offer. Kai is a fine individual to present his country in a world-class competition. But unfortunately these are character traits that many outside of the climbing community will fail to see. Kai Lightner is black.
Just a few months ago while traveling through Washington, D.C. on one of many weekend road trips to train at a climbing gym far from their home Kai and his mom Connie stopped at a gas station to refuel and use the restroom. On the way out of the facilities an attendant accosted Kai. This complete stranger, pulled up his shirt, frisked him and accused him of stealing. With no evidence of wrongdoing the boy was released to run back to his car, reduced to tears.
?Anyone that knows my son knows that he is a mild mannered, respectful kid, that?s always maintained an A average in school,? Connie recounted on Facebook. ?Despite these facts, his physical attributes (race and size) in the past have typecast him.?
Like the parents of many black children Connie has taught Kai from a young age to comport himself in a manner void of anything that may be perceived as aggressive or threatening. Tall for his age but slightly built, like a climber, it?s hard to imagine Kai as anything but gentle and kind. More than just being polite and respectful, as all children should be, Kai is learning how not to draw the attention of people who will make assumptions of who he is based exclusively on the color his skin. It?s these people who will ascribe to this talented young man all manner of horrible attributes and character deficiencies and perceive him as a threat, people like George Zimmerman. Had this been Florida or any of more than 25 other states with a so called ?stand your ground law? Kai Lightner might have been Trayvon Martin.
?As the mom of an African American boy, incidents like the gas station and the Martin case scare me,? Connie wrote on Facebook. ?Do I tell my son to defend himself if he feels threatened? To run? I understand that for some, if you have never experienced similar scenarios, you may not understand. For me, it?s not anger, it?s fear.?
And now she can add to that fear a very real possibility. Should her child ever be injured or even killed by a person carrying a gun who feels threatened by a black teenager minding his own business that person will be acquitted of the crime. Where Connie as a mother feels fear, as a black man I feel anger. I?m angry because there are too many people out there who would look at Kai and never assume that he?s an A-student and a national sport-climbing champion. Among the first African-Americans ever to represent the US in a world climbing competition, Kai could just as easily be targeted as suspicious or as a threat while traveling between events or training venues simply because of his appearance. It?s heartbreaking to know that we live in a nation where people with guns can be allowed to shoot first and ask questions later.
But Connie takes comfort in the fact that Kai has always been supported and encouraged throughout his career as a climber. Since the age of seven he?s had every opportunity to excel in the sport he loves.? ?I am fortunate that my son is surrounded by a rock climbing community that has never seen race,? Connie wrote. ?Despite being a predominantly white sport, he has never felt different or outcast despite the fact that he is usually the only black person at events. My fear is that outside of this community, his reality is very different.?
That?s likely true of most African-American youth. It?s possible though that many might find that same safe and supportive place among the community of climbers and adventurers as Kai did. As I have. I can?t help but wonder what it would take to bring more African-American youth into the relative safety of the outdoor community.
The outdoor industry can take a great deal of pride in having created an even playing field where anyone with the will, courage, and determination to succeed can accomplish anything he or she desires. ?Over the past weeks several African-American climbers on two teams made a valiant attempt to summit Mount McKinley, also known as Denali the highest peak in North America. As they waited for a weather window to open at their 14,000-foot Advanced Base Camp there were likely more black climbers on the mountain at one time than ever before.
The Expedition Denali team, organized by the National Outdoor Leadership School brought nine black climbers ranging in age between 19 and 56. Their course instructors included Chicago-born backcountry ski guide Robby ReChord, one of only three African-American NOLS field educators of more than 800 world-wide. The other team, lead by world-class mountaineer and climbing team captain for The North Face Conrad Anker, included ReChord?s mentor NOLS instructor Philip Henderson and North Face snowboard ambassador Ryan Hudson, both black. Photographs taken throughout those days on Denali demonstrate the capacity of the outdoor industry to welcome and engage people of color in such a way that reflects their individual character and natural ability to perform. Unfortunately, a massive electrical storm just 700 feet from the summit forced both teams along with 40 other climbers to retreat back to Advanced Base Camp. Certainly the environment does not discriminate.
Following the example of NOLS and the North Face the makers of outdoor equipment and clothing as well as outfitting companies, retailers and environmental protection groups have an opportunity to demonstrate the supportive and inclusive nature of the industry as a whole. From the outside looking in this mostly white environment might appear threatening to anyone who is unaware just how inviting it can be. Lately we?ve been talking a lot about diversity and how important it is to reach out to more people of color. Now is the perfect time to make serious strides toward that goal.
It would help if we started by investing a few more marketing dollars to directly connect with minority communities, segments of the population that will soon be the majority. We could begin encouraging more companies to offer cultural competency training for outdoor professionals who work with the general public. And industry media organizations can try to include more images that depict people of color enjoying time outside. I believe that if we make a sincere effort to show ourselves as welcoming and inviting we would attract and retain more talented kids like Kai.
In many ways, the rarified world of rock climbing, mountaineering, and other adventure sports has the same unwelcoming appearance of the gated community where Trayvon was gunned down. But as recent events have shown appearances can be deceiving. In sharing her story Connie wants people to know that her son has found a safe environment in which to thrive, and she hopes that other children like hers will be encouraged to find themselves there as well.
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